Tain's Papal Bull Celebrated
TAIN Museum and Pilgrimage Centre hosted a special service in St. Duthac’s Collegiate Church last Saturday.
The event was held to celebrate the special status granted to Tain’s Church in 1492 when Pope Innocent VIII sent a document known as a "Papal Bull" to the Provost of Tain.
The Vatican document, made out of vellum (calf skin) and measuring 14" by 9", recognised the importance of the shrine of St. Duthuc. The term, ‘Bull’ comes from Latin ‘Bulla’ referring to the lead seal attached to papal documents
Not only does the medieval church building survive in the centre of the town, but the Papal Bull also, now in the care of the museum.
The fragile parchment has been professionally conserved and repaired this year in the hope that it will last for another 500 years.
Every summer the Highland Deanery of the Catholic Diocese of
Aberdeen, covering the whole North Highlands, holds a Deanery
Pilgrimage Mass, to bring together the members of its scattered parishes.
This year it was decided to hold the event in Tain, at the Collegiate Church, as the climax of the museum’s celebrations of the Papal Bull.
On Saturday, visitors came from a wide area to join with many locals and fill the church for a Mass at noon.
Archbishop Mario Conti, former Archbishop of Glasgow, came to preside at the service, assisted by the Dean, Fr. James Bell and Tain’s parish priest, Fr. Richard Reese. Several other priests and deacons from the area took part.
After the Mass, the clergy and congregation made a pilgrimage in
procession down to the links below the town.
Here they assembled beside the ruined chapel, reputed to be the birthplace of St. Duthac, where the Archbishop led final prayers. Afterwards, the visitors were entertained to refreshments at St. Vincent’s Church.
The glorious weather on Saturday added a sparkle to a magnificent
occasion, and many of the visitors expressed their delight in seeing Tain t its best. Such an event afforded excellent publicity for the Royal Burgh
and what it has to offer.
Pilgrims were able to view a replica of the Papal Bull in its original silver frame at the Tain Museum beside the church and buy copies of the rare Vatican document written in Latin and now translated into English, Gaelic and several European languages for visitors to the museum.
