John Scotus

John Scotus was bishop of Mecklenburg, of Scottish origin, born around 990 and killed by pagans at Rethra in 1066 (10 November). He was the first bishop of Mecklenburg, of Irish or Scottish origin. He is honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church and by some Orthodox.

He is probably the same as the John who, it is said, was made bishop of Glasgow between 1055 and 1060, and perhaps the one who held the title of bishop of Orkney. Slavic tribes settled in Mecklenburg around 500 and by about 600 had complete possession of the land. Their chief god was Radegast, whose sanctuary at Rethra was the center of worship for all Mecklenburg. Charlemagne's conquests in this region were lost soon after his death. Henry I of Germany was the first to force the Slavic land again to pay tribute, around 928, and placed it under the jurisdiction of Saxon counts. With the dominion of the Germans, Christianity found its way into the land, but antagonism to the tribute led to a heathen reaction.

He was killed in 1066, during a Wendish revolt against Christianity, when he was sacrificed to Radegast.

He died in 1066, after the separation of East and West of 1054; no Orthodox synodal canonization is known.