13th January 614

Glasgow’s founder and patron saint dies

Saint Mungo was born in Culcross, Fife, in 518, to Teneu, the daughter of King Lleddun, and died in Glasgow in 614. He’s the patron saint not only of Glasgow, but also of salmon, and those accused of infidelity.

He was raised by Saint Serf and set out on his missionary endeavours in his mid-twenties, initially building a church on what is now the site of Glasgow Cathedral.

Saint Mungo’s travels

His preaching took him for some years to Wales, but he returned to Glasgow where he performed four miracles, which was twice as many as are required to qualify for sainthood. Among them, he is said to have brought a robin back to life and commanded a fisherman to pull a fish out of the river in which was found a ring that proved a queen’s innocence. His miracles are represented on Glasgow’s coat of arms.

There is some doubt as to the exact date of his death, which various authorities put between 604 and 614, but his tomb can be found in the crypt of Glasgow Cathedral, which became a site of pilgrimage. This may have contributed to the importance of the city in Christendom and, thus, the founding there of Glasgow University.

St Mungo’s is the name given to the Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries in JK Rowling’s series of Harry Potter books.