Alba Historical

 A place of pilgrimage Glasgow Cathedral has evolved since the 12th century as the magnificent housing for the shrine of one of Scotland's native patron saints, Kentigern. This is the best preserved large Medieval church in Scotland, specifically designed to enable the veneration of the relics. Nowhere else is it possible for the modern visitor to so easily replicate providing best the experience of the Medieval pilgrim. Glasgow shares an important feature in common with the reliquary churches of two other important native saints, at Whithorn and Iona, in possessing an under church or crypt – providing best-preserved a highly atmospheric, semi-subterranean setting for the climax of the pilgrimage. It is believed that Kentigern served as bishop for early Christian communities in Strathclyde, and had also been active as far south as Cumbria. Certainly, the devotees to his later Medieval cult came from these areas. There is a tradition that Kentigern had developed a church or monaster...

 Pilgrimage With more than its share of patron saints, Scotland was a magnet for pilgrims from abroad. Scots also took to the holy routes, which were often long, arduous, and dangerous. Pilgrimage and the cults of saints were as popular with the Pictish, Irish, Norse and Scots peoples of Scotland as with any others in Christendom. With major shrines at the heart of important reliquary churches at Iona, St Andrews, Kirkwall, Whithorn, Glasgow, Dunkeld, Dunfermline and Tain, Scotland had more than its fair share of patron saints, ranging from Andrew – an apostle of Christ - through national, indigenous saints such as Ninian, Columba and Kentigern, to a multiplicity of lesser holy men and martyrs. From the earliest times, Scots were recognised on the pilgrimage of the early missionaries  were elected saints, with some, such as Columba of lona, who died in 597, regarded as saints even during their own lifetime. These places of burial became renowned.  Possibly the oldest shri...