Ninian, Bishop in Galloway, C. 430 A.D.
Today, Sept. 16, is an important date to me on both the secular calendar and the Church Calendar. In the secular calendar, Sept. 16 is the birthday of my only brother, Stephen, who has been an important part of my life for 70 years. Happy birthday, brother!
In the Church Calendar, today is the Feast Day of Ninian, Bishop in Galloway in southern Scotland. “The earliest, and possibly the best, account [of his life and work] is the brief one in the Venerable Bede’s Ecclesiastical History.
“Ninian was a Romanized Briton, born in the latter half of the fourth century in southern Scotland. He is said to have been educated in Rome, and to have [been ordained]. But the main influence on his life was Martin of Tours [Patron Saint of St. Martin’s], with whom he spent some time, and from whom he gained his ideals of an episcopal-monastic structure designed for missionary work.” (Lesser Feasts and Fasts 1997, Church Publishing Inc., New York, p.361)
Ninian is believed to have died on this date around the year 430 A.D.
Ninian is important to me because, on my mother’s side of our family, we trace part of our lineage back to Scotland where Ninian’s work converted many to Christianity with an emphasis on missionary outreach. Thus, his work may have directly contributed to some of my forbears being Celtic Christians instead of Celtic pagans. And Ninian is also an important saint to all of us at St. Martin’s because he continued and expanded the idea of Christian evangelism and missionary work that he received from Martin of Tours—evangelism and outreach that is such an important part of our life together in this Parish.
O God, who by the preaching of thy blessed servant and bishop Ninian didst cause the light of the Gospel to shine in the land of Britain: Grant, we beseech thee, that, having his life and labors in remembrance, we may show forth our thankfulness by following the example of his zeal and patience; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.¹
¹Lesser Feasts and Fasts 1997, Church Publishing Inc., New York, p.361
