Celtic and Old English Saints 26 December
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* St. Tathai of Wales
* St. Amaethlu of Anglesey
* St. Jarlath of Tuam
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St. Tathai of Wales, Hermit of Glamorganshire, Abbot of Llantathan
Nephew of Saint Sampson of Dol, Brittany
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(also known as Meuthin, Tathan, Tahai, Tathaeus, Tathar, Athaeus)
5th century or early 6th century. Nephew of Saint Samson of Dol, this
Irish saint planted himself in the land of Wales, first as a hermit,
where he founded a church at Glamorganshire and bore good fruit. His
monastery at Llantathan, named after him, was one of the most famous
schools in Wales. From there he went to Caerwent (Gwent), where he
founded another monastic school that produced the great Celtic scholar,
Saint Cadoc.
According to his vita, Tathai was famous as a miracle-worker and as the
"Father of all Gwent, he was the defender of the woodland country . . .
he was never angry . . . whatever was given to him, he gave to others .
. . no one was more generous in the West for receiving guests and giving
them hospitality." Both Caerwent and Llantathan claim to be the place
where he died (Benedictines, Encyclopaedia, Farmer, Montague).
Troparion of St Tathai tone 8
Teacher of true piety and blessed adornment of Christ's Church, O Father
Tathai:/ as thou didst serve Wales with thy tireless endeavours, teach
us, O Saint, the virtues of unshakeable stability and loyalty to the
true Faith,/ that at the end Christ our God will grant great mercy to
our souls.
St. Amaethlu (Maethlu) of Anglesey (of Wales)
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6th century. Amaethlu founded a church in Anglesey, Wales, which is now
dedicated to him under the name Llanfaethlu (Benedictines).
St. Jarlath, Bishop of Tuam, Ireland
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Born c. 445 at Connaught. Died c. 540. Irish nobility. Having studied
under St. Benen (Benignus), he founded a monastery and college at
Cloonfush, near Tuam, which soon attracted scholars from all parts of
Ireland. The fame of Cloonfush is sufficiently attested by two of its
pupils, St. Brendan of Ardfert, and St. Colman of Cloyne. But, great
teacher as he was, he went, through humility, to avail himself of the
instruction of St. Enda at Arran about 495. He removed to Tuam about the
second decade of sixth century. St. Jarlath is included in the second
order of Irish saints, and on that account he must have lived to the
year 540. The "Felire" of Aengus tells us that he was noted for his
fasting, watching, and mortification. Three hundred times by day and
three hundred times by night did this saint bend the knee in prayer, and
he was also endowed with the gift of prophecy. His feast is kept on 6
June, being the date of the translation of his relics to a church
specially built in his
honour, adjoining the cathedral of Tuam. His remains were encased in a
silver shrine, whence the church--built in the thirteenth century--was
called Teampul na scrin, that is the church of the shrine.
Lives kindly supplied by:
For All the Saints:
http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/ss-index.htm
An Alphabetical Index of the Saints of the West
http://www.orthodoxengland.btinternet.co.uk/saintsa.htm
These Lives are archived at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints