Saints in Scottish Place-Names
Funded by a Leverhulme Trust Project Grant
Ciric the child martyr
Other names
Ciricus, Cyricus, Quiriac, Quiricus
Introduction
Ciric was a child martyr with his mother, Julitta, in Antioch, allegedly around 304. His emblem is of a naked child riding on a wild boar. The Pictish Chronicle records an eclipse of the sun during the reign of King Ciric, on the day (ie feast day) of (St) Ciric: in ix. ejus anno, in ipso die Cirici, eclipsis solis facta est (Skene 1867, 9). There was indeed a total eclipse observable in northern Scotland on 16th June 885, the feast day of St Ciric, and it may be that St Ciric of Antioch became the patron saint of this King Ciric (usually known as Giric), who ruled Scotland from 878-889. The feast day of Julitta and Ciric appears in most Sarum calendars. Personal names suggest a cult of this or a similarly-named saint in Medieval Scotland and Ireland: Mael Giricc comarba Feichene Fobair, AU 932; Malgirc mac Tralin, Book of Deer, AD 1131/2 (Black 1946, 304, 577 ). The name Giric or Ciric lies behind the surname Greig (ibid. 309, 328).
Associated places
Antioch
Genealogies
According to legend his mother is Julitta.
Related Saints
Belongs to the group Ciric, Giric, Ciricus, Cyriacus (ns) (certain)
Related Personal Names
Name
Ciric (certain)
Feast days
Day of Year
June 16
Calendar
Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee
Source code
Mart. O
Source title
Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee
Editors
Stokes, Whitley
Year
1905
Notes
Full title is Félire Óengusso Céli Dé, The Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee, critically edited from Ten Manuscripts, with a Preface, Translation, Notes and Indices.
Quote from source
GET QUOTE
Day of Year
June 16
Calendar
Source code
Mart. G
Source title
Martyrology of Gorman
Editors
Stokes, Whitley
Year
1895
Notes
Full title is Félire Húi Gormáin, The Martyrology of Gorman edited from a manuscript in the Royal library, Brussels, with a preface, translation, notes and indices. It is published by the Henry Bradshaw Society.
Quote from source
Ciric mor in macan, Iulitan na luigfind 'Great Cyricus the child (and his mother) Julitta, by whom I would not swear.'
Day of Year
June 16
Calendar
Source code
Iona psalter
Source title
Iona psalter
Notes
Iona psalter Iona psalter, NLS MS 10000
Day of Year
June 16
Calendar
Kalendarium Breviarii Aberdonensis
Source code
K. Brev. Ab.
Source title
Kalendarium Breviarii Aberdonensis
Editors
Forbes, A. P.
Secondary Title
Kalendar of Scottish Saints
Pages
111-124
Year
1872
Notes
Kal. Brev. Ab. Kalendarium Breviarii Aberdonensis, in Forbes 1872, 111-124
Saint in place-names
Names
| Place known as | Name (plus degree of certainty that this saint is commemorated here) |
| Ecclesgreig, eccles. St Cyrus Church, St Cyrus | Ecclesgreig (maybe) |
| Ecclesgreig, eccles. St Cyrus Church, St Cyrus | St Cyrus Church (maybe) |
| St Cyrus, parish - alias Ecclesgreig | Ecclesgreig (maybe) |
Place-name data
The place-name data featured in this resource is copyright of the University of Glasgow.
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Modern OS map:
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OS 1840-1880 map:
National Library of Scotland Historic Maps
OS 1920-1933 map:
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