Nathalan

Nathalan ( or Nachlan), (died 678) is a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, who was active in the district now known as Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He is also known by the names Saint Nachlan and Saint Nauchlan.

Life

Cowie kirk, originally dedicated to St. Nathalan

Nathalan was born in the village of Tullich, for which he was eventually appointed as bishop. The earliest church in Tullich was founded by Saint Nathalan in the 7th century.^[1] He also built churches at Bothelim and Colle.^[2] He was a nobleman who cultivated. He possessed a large estate, which he cultivated and distributed his harvest generously to the poor.^[1] He was one of the apostles of that country.^[3]

Nathalan is reputed to have built the first small chapel on the windswept clifftop at Cowie sometime during the 7th century.^[4]

Legend

According to legend one very rainy summer the great saint, in a moment's weakness, cursed the rain which was hindering the harvest. In penitence for his great sin in cursing God's creation, Nathalan padlocked his right arm to his right leg, tossed the key into the River Dee and set off to walk to Rome to seek forgiveness. Upon reaching Rome he sat down to supper. However, when he cut open the fish laid before him he found the very key that he had thrown into the Dee many months previously. A pool in the river nearby is still known as "the key pool" for this reason.^[1]

Legacy

St Nathalan Roman Catholic Church, Ballater is named for him.^[5] One of the stained glass windows in the baptistery of the Church of St. James the Great in Stonehaven honours St Nathalan.^[6]

St. Nathalan is one of the saints depicted in the Millennium Murals at St. Mary's Cathedral, Aberdeen.^[2]

References

Sources

• Watt, Archibald, Highways and Byways around Kincardineshire, Stonehaven Heritage Society (1985)

See also

• Chapel of St. Mary and St. Nathalan