St. Margaret of Scotland

Their story

Margaret was an English princess born around 1045 in Hungary, where her family lived in exile. After the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, her family fled north and found refuge at the court of King Malcolm III of Scotland. Around 1070 Margaret married Malcolm, and she became queen. Margaret was a devoted wife and the mother of eight children, several of whom became renowned for their faith. She brought gentleness and culture to the court, and her husband, though rough and unlettered, came to love and respect her faith. She worked to renew the Church in Scotland, encouraging good worship and keeping holy the Lord’s Day. She founded Dunfermline Abbey and provided a ferry and shelters for pilgrims traveling to the shrine of St. Andrew. Margaret’s prayer life was deep, and her love for the poor was practical. She is said to have fed orphans and poor people before eating her own meals, and she served them with her own hands. In 1093 her husband and eldest son were killed in battle. Margaret, already very ill, died a few days later. She was canonized in 1250.