Magnus's nephew, Rögnvald Kali Kolsson, laid claim to the Earldom of Orkney, and was advised by his father Kol to promise the islanders to "build a stone minster at Kirkwall" in memory of his uncle, the Holy Earl, and this became St Magnus Cathedral. When the cathedral, begun in 1137, was ready for consecration, the relics of St Magnus were transferred. On 31 March 1919, during restoration work, a hidden cavity was found in a column, containing a box with bones including a damaged skull. These are held without (much) doubt to be the relics of St Magnus. The remains were replaced in the pillar in 1926, with the location marked with a cross.
Magnus's nephew, Rögnvald Kali Kolsson, laid claim to the Earldom of Orkney, and was advised by his father Kol to promise the islanders to "build a stone minster at Kirkwall" in memory of his uncle, the Holy Earl, and this became St Magnus Cathedral. When the cathedral, begun in 1137, was ready for consecration, the relics of St Magnus were transferred. On 31 March 1919, during restoration work, a hidden cavity was found in a column, containing a box with bones including a damaged skull. These are held without (much) doubt to be the relics of St Magnus The remains were replaced in the pillar in 1926, with the location marked with a cross.