Feast of St. Margaret Traditions

[jhockin]

I suspect very few in Scotland would know of the significance of St. Margaret, yet alone think about celebrating the date even if, by some fluke, they happened to be aware of it. Why on earth would anyone want to don the kilt especially for the day?

I wonder if it might be better known by Scots who are Catholic?

[Father Bill]

I wonder if it might be better known by Scots who are Catholic?

...or Episcopal

...or religious of any denomination.

Now, let's start being careful about leaving religion off of our site.

[Damion]

...or Episcopal

...or religious of any denomination.

Now, let's start being careful about leaving religion off of our site.

Ignoring the St Andrew's cross at the top of the page...

She doesn't seem to have had much of a following in the Gaelic parts of Scotland. She was more an agent of anglicising the court and church.

[Jock Scot]

I wonder if it might be better known by Scots who are Catholic?

I am afraid that I have no idea.

[CollinMacD]

As a Roman Catholic Scot, who attended twelve years of parochial school, yes I am very aware of St. Margaret's Feast day, and it was noted as a prominent day while I attended Catholic School. St. Margaret, St. Thomas, St. Bridget, St. Maura (younger sister of St. Bridget) St. Fergus, St. Ebba, St. Blane, St. Andrew, St. David, (St. Margaret's younger bother), St. Patrick, and of course the entire month of May (Mary's Month which has the May Day Procession honor Mary), all considered to be the prominent days to honor Saints at the school I attended in the Boston area, St. Mary's. The school and church was Irish/Scottish, in the Boston area, so no doubt, these were considered important feast days of these Saints.

There were many more who moved Scotland from pagan to Catholic, but too many to post, I posted the most famous of all of them, many were monks, or missionaries, mainly from Ireland, France, and eastern Europe.

Hope this helps... Cheers.

[Laird O'the Cowcaddens]

Any soldier past or present who has performed Guard Duty at "The Castle", will definitely know who and why Margaret is significant.

[Macdonde]

Thanks for the replies, all!

I visited St. Margaret's chapel when we were in Edinburgh back in '02, and was struck both by its simplicity and the quiet it afforded in an otherwise busy setting.

The reading I've been doing over the past few days notes that she had a significant impact on her husband (Malcolm III), particularly with regard to the poor. It was said that he would have emptied the treasury for her to feed the poor if she had asked. Religious or historical, she seems like a great person to admire and emulate.

--Macdonde

[MacRobert's Reply]

Queen and Saint Margaret tends to be remembered here in South and North Queensferry because our towns owe their names to her endowment of a ferry to take pilgrims (and we assume traders) across the River Forth. She is often depicted standing in a ferry. In South Queensferry the Ferry Fair in August each year includes the crowning of a girl as queen.