Scottish Catholic Observer

Fife actress Katie Milne, 30, (left) played the part of St Margaret at the launch event and was joined by Archbishop Leo Cushley of St Andrews and Edinburgh to kick start preparations for the second St Margaret’s Summer Pilgrimage to take place in Dunfermline on Sunday June 12.

“The summer pilgrimage in honour of St Margaret should be a fantastic family day—that’s why we want to extend the invitation to take part as far and wide as possible,” Archbishop Cushley said at Edinburgh’s St Margaret Chapel on May 10. “Last year’s event was a tremendous success with numbers attending far in excess of expectations and everybody having an enormously enjoyable day. This year should prove to be even better.”

Ms Milne, dressed in the blue, white and gold of St Margaret, said the saint was an inspiration to today’s women. “St Margaret is such a remarkable historical figure in Scotland’s story as well as a fabulous role model for young Scots today, especially young women,” she said. “It’s an honour to represent her here today.”

St Margaret became Queen of Scots in 1070 and is renowned for her devout Christian piety and her charitable works towards the sick and poor while raising eight children of her own. She was declared Patroness of Scotland in 1673.

Following her Canonisation in June 1250 by Pope Innocent IV, and the transfer of her relics to a new shrine in Dunfermline Abbey, an annual summer pilgrimage to Dunfermline was established and continued until the late 16th century. It was revived in 1899 and continued until 1974.

Archbishop Cushley re-established the pilgrimage last year at the request of the local parish in Dunfermline, St Margaret’s Memorial Church. Fr Chris Heenan, parish priest, said that on his first appointment to the parish he was struck by the number of visitors coming to the church to pray at St Margaret’s relics, and decided to use the strong devotion and interest to raise awareness of the saint.

More than one thousand people, Catholics and non-Catholics, came to the town last June 28—surpassing the expected number of 400.

Last year, parishes from across the archdiocese took part in the pilgrimage, and organisers are hoping that this year all Catholic parishes in Scotland will be represented.

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Pic: Paul McSherry

—This story ran in full in the May 20 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.