Saint Gervadius

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Saint Gervadius (also known as Garnat; Garnet; Gerardin; Gerardine; Gernard; Gernardius; Gervardius )

[edit] Saint's Day

8 November

[edit] Biography

Gervadius was a hermit at Kenedor (present day Kinneddar, Lossiemouth, Moray). He was born in Ireland and some sources claim that he came to Scotland as a refugee from viking raids in his native land. He is believed to have been part of a Celtic religious community that was present in Kinneddar in the 10th century, occupying a cave in a rocky promontory just to the east. Gervadius died c.934 AD. The early maps give reference to his having been there by naming the area Holyman's Head. His cave became a place of pilgrimage right up to the Reformation and survived into the 19th century before being quarried out.

[edit] Legends

The legend was that he lit flaming torches at night to warn ships away from the dangerous rocks. Legend also has it that once when he needed wood to complete construction of a church, a great storm struck upriver of him, washing enough timber down to him.