St. Tudwal, Bishop
Died c. 564. One of the Seven Patron Saints of Brittany. The Welsh monk
Tugdual was one of the sons of King Hoel I Mawr (the Great). He
travelled to Ireland from his father's home in Britain to learn the
scriptures before becoming a hermit on Ynys Tudwal (St.Tudwal's Isle
East) off the Lleyn Peninsula in North Wales. He later emigrated to Léon
in Brittany and settled at Lan Pabu with some seventy-two followers.
Here he established a large monastery under the patronage of his cousin,
King Deroch of Domnonée. From here, Tugdual travelled throughout
Brittany evangelising the local population. He founded the Monastery of
Val Trechor at Tréguier and had the foresight to go to Paris and have
his land grants ratified by King Childebert of the Franks. The monarch
insisted that Tugdual be made Bishop of Tréguier where he is still
venerated, especially around Leon. It was at Treguier that hy died in
564. His shrine can still be seen in the Cathedral.
Three places in the Lleyn Peninsula (Cardigan Bay) in Carnarvonshire
perpetuate his memory. Saint Levan, founder of Killeven in Ireland,
wrote the life of Saint Tugdual after his travels in Brittany.
Saint Tudwal's Island East (Ynys Tudwal) has a ruined chapel, which is
mentioned in the tax rolls of 1291. His relics are claimed by Treguier,
Laval, and Chartres. This is believed to have been his original
hermitage (Attwater 2, Benedictines, Coulson, Farmer). (He may identical
to a saint with a similar name on December 1; some calendars also show
his feast on December 2.) In art, Saint Tudwal is depicted as a bishop
holding a dragon with his stole.
Troparion of St Tudwal tone 1
Having left thy native Wales/ thou didst serve God in Brittany, O Father
Tudwal,/ and both by thy zealous preaching and thy piety thou didst win
souls for Christ./ Wherefore we hasten to thee, O radiant Hierarch,/
that thou wouldst intercede for us that our souls may be saved.
St. Grewst of Denbighshire, Wales
7th century. The Welsh saint whose memory is perpetuated by the place
name Llanrwst, Denbighshire (Benedictines).
Ss. Martin and Declan
8th century. Saints Martin and Declan contributed to the evangelization
of the Germanic peoples by extending the Irish activity begun by Saint
Boniface of Crediton (D'Arcy, Fitzpatrick, O'Hanlon).
