Baring-Gould’s sources: Scottish Martyrologies. Authority The legend in the Aberdeen Breviary.] The legend of this saint is a very strange one. Lolan, a nephew of S. Serf, born in Galilee at Cana, came to Rome, and was appointed doorkeeper of the Roman Church. His unde having, by divine intimation, left Rome to preach to the Scots, Lolan remained seven years exercising his ministry at Rome. At length, longing to behold him again face to face, he one night locked the church of S: Peter as usual, left the key in a conspicuous place, and departed on foot for Scotland. After a weary journey he came to a place which by the common people was called Planum. In the morning the chiefs of the Roman Church came to pray at S. Peter’s, but were unable to open the door with the key. Terrihed at what this might portend, they betook themselves to prayer; and it was revealed to them that the door could only be opened by the hand that had closed it, and that Lolan, by divine providence, had gone westward to extend the Roman faith. A deacon and a subdeacon were sent after Lolan, who one day, as he came out 1 of the church at Planum, saw them approach, and ran to Thomas of Villanova.

…them, and greeted them joyously. When they told him that the door could only be opened by the hand which had shut it, he straightway took a sword and cut off his right hand on a stone, and gave it to the Roman legates, who were thus enabled on their return to open the door of S. Peter’s. In return for this he asked for four loads of the dust of the cemetery of S. Peter, wherein his own body might be buried. The Romans therefore sent from Rome four ass-loads of earth, in consideration of which the blessed man prayed that whosoever should in sickness vow to be buried in that earth, he should receive the same indulgences as if actually buried in the cemetery of S. Peter’s, and finally attain the kingdom of heaven. According to David Camerarius, Lolan lived much later, in a.d. 1039, and was a councillor of King Duncan, whom he aided by his advice against the Danes [Viking raiders from Scandinavia], and who by following his recommendations succeeded in defeating them at Kinghorn and at Culross.

Duncan was killed at Bothgowanon, near Elgin, by Macbeth. It is probable, therefore, that there were two Lolars living at very different periods, who have been confounded together.