Early 8th century; in Ireland his feast is celebrated on January 9 which
is the day of his death.
The Irish Fillan, son of Feriach, grandson of King Ceallach of Leinster,
received the monastic habit in the abbey of Saint Fintan Munnu. Then he
accompanied his mother,
Saint Kentigerna (f.d. January 7),
and his
uncle,
Saint Comgan (f.d. October 13),
to Scotland, where he became a
missionary monk. He was perhaps a monk at Taghmon in Wexford and a
hermit at Pittenweem, Fife, before being chosen as abbot of the nearby
monastery, which he governed for some years. He retired to Glendochart
in Perthshire, where he lived a solitary life and built a church. There
he died and was buried at the place now called Strathfillan in his
honour. Until the early 19th century, the mentally ill were dipped into
the pool here and then left all night, tied up, in a corner of Fillan's
ruined chapel. If they were found loose the next morning, they were
considered cured.
Further north, in Ross-shire, there are dedications to his memory and
that of his uncle (Kilkoan and Killellan). Both Irish and Scottish
martyrologies recorded his sanctity, and the "Aberdeen Breviary" relates
some extraordinary miracles performed by him.
History also records that Robert the Bruce put his hopes of victory at
Bannockburn into the hands of Saint Fillan. It is reported that he
brought an arm relic of the saint into battle having passed most of the
night praying for his intercession. Not surprisingly, the Scottish
victory at Bannockburn revived and perpetuated his veneration, and his
feast is still kept in the diocese of Dunkeld.
The bell and staff of St. Fillan still exist. His pastoral staff, or
crozier, (the Quigrich), and his bell are in the National Museum in
Edinburgh. To see the reliquary cover of the crozier, go here
http://www.cushnieent.force9.co.uk/photogallery1.html
His "healing stones" are at the Tweed Mill, Dochart Bridge,
Killin.
(
Attwater2,
Benedictines,
Coulson,
Farmer,
Gill,
Montague).