Monan (saint)

Saint Monan (fl. 6th-7th century) is a legendary saint about whom very little is known. He may have lived in the 6th to 7th centuries. The only description of his life comes from the Brevarium Aberdonense, which was published in Edinburgh in 1509 - 1510. This account has numerous demonstrable errors, but it claims that St. Monan was a companion of Saint Adrian who was with him on the Isle of May when he suffered martyrdom and then went on to Inverey in Fife and set up a chapel. This chapel was rebuilt by David II of Scotland between 1329 and 1371 after he recovered from battle wounds thanks to the intercession of the saint. This place is the modern day St Monans in Fife, Scotland. The only other corroboration for the saint comes from the monks of Ireland who recorded a "Saint Moenenn" for the same feast day as Monan. This Moenenn was a bishop in Ireland.

Monan's feast day in the Roman Catholic Church is March 1.

References

Macquarrie, Alan. "Monan" in Matthew, H.C.G. and Brian Harrison, eds. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. vol. 38, 574-575. London: OUP, 2004