St Mungo Festival: Historic events at Glasgow Cathedral set for this weekend to celebrate Glasgow's patron saint

Glasgow's St Mungo Festival is back again this year for its 15th annual week of events celebrating the life, history, and endeavours of the city's patron saint.

Organised by the Mediaeval Glasgow Trust, Glasgow Churches Together and Glasgow Life the events hope to increase awareness of Glasgow’s history through free events and exhibitions which attempt to bring alive the story of the city’s founding to all its people.

This week sees eight free events set to culminate this Saturday on the Feast Day of St. Mungo. Take a look below to see what events are on offer this year.

Opening Lecture: Mediaeval Burgh Life with Dr. Gordon M. Wyllie

Monday, January 8 - Eyre Hall, Archdiocesan Offices, Clyde St - 6pm

Dr. Gordon M. Wylie kicks off the festival of St. Mungo with a lecture exploring the lifes of Scots in the Mediaeval era when Glasgow was founded - and how those times gave way to the modern era.

An Island That Yearns For Saints: Music in honour of Mungo, Ninian & Brigid

Wednesday, January 10 - St Columbkille's Rutherglen - 6pm

Alan Tavener and the Strathclyde University Chamber Choir present a programme of music in honour of St Mungo and other saints.

It's about as authentic as mediaeval choir can be in the 21st century - the chant from the office of St Mungo is taken from the mediaeval Spruston breviary. There will also be a performance of ‘Ninian’s Gift’, a collaboration by the composer Tom Cunningham and the writer Alexander McCall Smith among other pieces. No booking is required for this event

From Choir to Congregation: music at Glasgow Cathedral to 1620

Thursday, January 11 - Eyre Hall, Archdiocesan Offices, Clyde St - 6pm

Professor of Musicology at the Open University, Elaine Moohan, will lead a talk exploring the music sung at Glasgow Cathedral from its foundation up to about 1620. It will consider the types of sources that can be used to understand the sung liturgy, and those who sang it.

From the surviving fragments of the medieval Cathedral Library and the trained singers who used the original books to enhance the liturgy, to the printed psalm books of the early seventeenth century and the task of teaching a congregation to sing. There's even an opportunity to sing some of the music.

Vespers for the Feast of St Mungo

Friday, January 12 - St Andrew’s Cathedral - 7pm

The Feast of St Mungo, the anniversary of his death, will be launched with a liturgical Vespers – with the St Mungo Singers and congregation – at 7pm in St Andrew’s Cathedral, Clyde Street on the Vigil of the feast, Friday January 12. 

The traditional form of Evening Prayer for Christians, Vespers consists of an evening hymn accompanying the lighting of the evening candles, then ‘O God, come to our aid’, prayer, Psalms, the Canticle known as the Magnificat or Song of Our Lady, some intercessions for the needs of the community, the Lord’s Prayer and a blessing.

The Feast on January 13 will be marked with Masses and Services throughout Glasgow during the morning and at 1.00pm in St Andrew’s Cathedral.

Following the Molendinar

Meet at the Molendinar Community Centre - 10am

Saturday morning sees a historic walk following the part of the route St Mungo would have taken following the Molendinar Burn from Provanmill to Glasgow Cathedral.

It's just over 3 miles in length and takes over an hour, mostly downhill - with chats along the way about St Mungo and his journey to Glasgow.

Saturday, January 13 - The Mitchell Library - 12.15 pm Go see a copy of the Vita Kentigerni, the 12th century book commissioned by Bishop Jocelyn of Glasgow to be written by Jocelin of Furness in Cumbria.

Extracts will be read from the book and the St Mungo Singers will present songs celebrating the birthday of the city of Glasgow. 

Saturday, January 13 - online - 2pm

Following on from previous years’ online events surveying the Signs & Symbols of Glasgow Cathedral (you can watch events from 2023, 2022 and 2021 now) Gordon Wyllie and Revd Mark Johnstone, Trustees of the Mediaeval Glasgow Trust, consider the signs and symbols of Glasgow’s governing bodies in the Cathedral.

This event will be broadcast live at 2pm on the St Mungo Festival website.

Festival Ecumenical Service

Sunday January 14 - Glasgow Cathedral - 4pm

The Annual Festival Ecumenical Service will be held on the evening of the 14th of January in the wonderful surroundings of Glasgow Cathedral.

More information available from Glasgow Churches Together and it will be promoted on their social media (Twitter | Facebook) and website.