St. Margaret of Scotland Coloring Page
This St. Margaret of Scotland coloring page shows the queen in her crown and veil, holding her jeweled Gospel book and a small cross, and sharing bread with children outside her castle. The PDF is free to print. Margaret was a queen who served the poor every day.
The story of St. Margaret of Scotland
About 950 years ago, a princess named Margaret grew up far from home. Her father was an English prince who lived in Hungary. When she was older, a storm brought her ship to Scotland. There she met King Malcolm, and they were married. Margaret became the queen of Scotland.
Margaret loved God, and she loved the poor. Every day she fed hungry people, and she often served little orphan children herself, taking them on her knees and feeding them with her own spoon. She gave away so much that sometimes she even gave away the king's own coins! The king did not mind. He loved her very much.
King Malcolm could not read. But because Margaret loved her books of prayers and the Gospels, he would pick them up and kiss them. He even had them decorated with gold and jewels for her.
Margaret built churches, and she started a great church at Dunfermline. She also set up a free ferry boat so that pilgrims could cross the water to visit the holy place of St Andrews. The place where the boat landed is still called Queensferry.
Margaret and Malcolm had eight children, and she taught them to love God. St. Margaret of Scotland died at Edinburgh Castle in 1093. A tiny chapel named for her still stands there. She is a patron of Scotland, of queens and of families. Her feast is November 16.
What to color
- Her crown: gold, because she was a queen.
- Her veil: white, and her mantle blue, red or purple.
- The Gospel book: a gold cover with red, blue and green jewels.
- The cross: gold, for the Black Rood, her treasured cross.
- The bread: golden brown, for the hungry children she fed.
- The castle, ferry and thistles: gray stone, a brown boat on blue water and purple thistles.
A prayer to pray together
When we pray for our families and for people who are poor, we can say:
St. Margaret of Scotland, pray for us.
Children can add: help us share with those in need.
Ideas for families and classrooms
- Color this page on her feast, November 16.
- Make a "treasure book": decorate the cover of a notebook or Bible cover with stickers and colored "jewels."
- Help feed someone: bring food to a food pantry or make a snack for a younger brother or sister.
- Look at a map of Scotland and find Edinburgh, Dunfermline and Queensferry.
- Talk about it: Margaret was a queen, but she served the poor herself. How can we serve others at home?
Read the full story: St. Margaret of Scotland in the encyclopedia.
Frequently asked questions
What colors should I use for St. Margaret of Scotland?
Make her crown gold, her veil white and her mantle a royal color like blue, red or purple. The jewels on her book can be red, blue and green. Scottish thistles are purple with green leaves.
Why does St. Margaret hold a book?
Margaret loved her book of the Gospels, decorated with gold and jewels. Her husband, the king, could not read, but he loved to hold her books and kiss them because she loved them so much.
Why is St. Margaret a patron saint of Scotland?
She was queen of Scotland, and she cared for its poor people, built churches and helped pilgrims. She is a patron of Scotland, of queens and of parents of large families.
Is this coloring page free for schools?
Yes. Print as many copies as you need for your home, classroom or parish.