QUIMPER-VANNES

Because the  others were wearing sunglasses! Only three Breton saints are recognized by the Catholic Church: St. Yves (12-13th century); St. Corentin (Bishop of Quimper, 5th century) and St. Clair (the first Bishop of Nantes in the 3rd century).  This is because up to the 10th century there was no specific procedure for canonization and if the Bishop and congregation spontaneously decided to worship a deceased monk or priest, then his relics would be enshrined and he would be made a saint. The Breton saints belonged to a older era which measured and defined their saintly contributions in a different way, and not simply in terms of martyrdom, miracle-working and spiritual perfection. Often the Breton 'saints' were the semi-monastic clergy who supervised the migration from Britain to Brittany from the 6th century onwards  and served their flock in both spiritual and political roles.   Also, the concept of 'saintliness' has changed.  In the early...

Saint Cornish   (English) Welsh Breton Branwalader Saint Breward; St Brelade’s (Jersey) Loc-Brevalaire (29; Saint-Broladre (35) Buryan/Berrien St Buryan Berrien Budoc Budock; St Budeaux (Devon) Beuzec-Cap-Sizun (29) Brieuc/Breock St. Breock Llandyfriog Saint-Brieuc (22); Saint-Brieuc-des-Iffs (35); Saint-Brieuc-de-Mauron (56) Cadoc Llangadog, Cadoxton Boqueho , Tonquédec (22); Pleucadeuc (56) Canna Langan (Camarthe); Langan (Glamorgan) Langan (35) Carantec/Carannog Crantock Carantec, Tregarantec (29) Saint Columba St Columb Major Plougoulm (29); Saint-Colombe (35) Clet/Clether St Clether, St Cleer Saint-Clet, Cléder (29) Collen Llangollen Langolen Corentin Cury Coray (29) Curig/Guirec ...

Illtud was the founder of the Cor Tewdws seminary at Llanilltud Fawr (Llantwit Major) in the 6th century - one of Britain’s earliest educational establishments. Illtud was the son of Bicanus, a Breton prince, and at first pursued a military career (some say he served with his cousin King Arthur). This explains why he is is sometimes called St. Illtud the Knight. Saint Cadoc persuaded him to turn to the spiritual life after an incident where many of his colleagues disappeared on a hunt by being swallowed by a deep muddy bog. He renounced his wife and became a hermit in the Vale of Hodnant in Glamorgan.  Here he founded his monastery school which at its height had over 1000 pupils and schooled many of the great saints of the age, including Saint Patrick, Saint David, Saint Gildas and Saint Samson. Gildas called him ‘the most refined teacher in the whole of Britain’. When Illtud heard of the plight of his native Brittany during a famine, he organis...