Early Christian Saints 

Aaron June 22 + c 552. Probably born in Wales, he went to Brittany and lived as a hermit at what is now St Malo. Later he was joined by disciples, among them St Malo, and he became their abbot. 

 

Afan Nov 16 6th cent. A bishop who gave his name to the church of Llanafan in Powys in Wales. 

 

Almedha (Eled, Elevetha) Aug 1 6th cent. Tradition says that she suffered martyrdom on a hill near Brecon in Wales. 

 

Aneurin (or Gildas) and Gwinoc Oct 26 6th cent. Father and son, both monks in Wales. 

 

Armagillus (Armel) Aug 16 + c 550. Born in the south of Wales, he was a cousin of St Samson. A church in Cornwall was dedicated to him - St Erme. He went to Brittany and founded Saint-Armel-des-Boscheaux and Plou-Ermel (Ploermel). 

 

Asaph May 1 + c 600. One of St Kentigern's monks in the north of Wales. He is believed to have succeeded St Kentigern as abbot and bishop, leaving his own name to the see now in Clwyd. Many of his relatives are also venerated as saints.

 

Brieuc (Briocus, Brioc) May 1 c 420-510. Born in Dyfed in Wales, he went to Brittany where he founded two monasteries, one near Tréguier and the other in what is now St Brieuc. He is also venerated in Cornwall. 

 

Brothen and Gwendolen Oct 18 ? 6th cent. St Brothen is the patron-saint of Llanbrothen in Wales. Dolwyddelen and Llanwyddelan are named after St Gwendolen. 

 

Cadoc (Docus, Cathmael, Cadvaci) Jan 24 + c 580. Founder of the monastery of Llancarfan not far from Cardiff in Wales, he later lived as a hermit on an island off the coast of Vannes in Brittany. He returned to Britain and by tradition was martyred by heathen near Weedon in England. 

 

Cadfarch Oct 24 6th cent. A disciple of St Iltyd, he founded churches in Penegoes and Abererch in Wales. 

 

Cadfan Nov 1 + early 6th cent. Born in Brittany, he went to Wales and founded several monasteries. His name is mainly linked with Towyn in Gwynedd and Bardsey Island.  

 

Cawrdaf Dec 5 6th cent. A noble in Wales, he ended his life as a monk with St Illtyd. 

 

Ceitho Nov 1 6th cent. One of five brothers, all saints in Wales. A church in Pumpsant was dedicated to them. The church in Llangeith in Dyfed was founded by St Ceitho. 

 

Cewydd July 1 6th cent. A saint of Anglesey in Wales and at Lancaut in Gloucestershire in England. 

 

Cian Dec 11 6th cent. A hermit in Wales.

 

Clether (Cledog, Clodock) Nov 3 6th cent. Born in Wales, he was a hermit in Herefordshire, now in England. The village of Clodock is named after him. 

 

Clether (Cleer, Clydog, Scledog, Clitanus or Cleodius) Oct 23 + c 520. He left Wales and went to Cornwall. He is recalled by several church dedications, for instance St Clear near Liskeard. 

 

Constantine March 9 + 576. A noble of Cornwall, who after a life of vice, came to repentance in Wales and Ireland. From here he went as a missionary to Scotland, where he was put to death by thieves. Two places in Cornwall are named after him. 

 

Carantoc May 16 6th cent. An abbot who founded the church of Llangranog in Wales. He is linked with Crantock in Cornwall and Carhampton in Somerset in England and was also venerated in Brittany. 

 

Curig June 16 6th cent. Bishop of Llanbadarn in Wales, where several churches are dedicated to him. 

 

Cybi (Cuby) Nov 8 6th cent. An abbot who, with St Seiroil, is one of the most famous saints of Anglesey. He founded a monastery there, called Caer Gybi (the fortress of Cybi). He is the patron saint of Llangibby and Llangybi in Wales and Tregony, Landulph and Cuby in Cornwall. 

 

Cynwl Apr 30 6th cent. The brother of St Deiniol, first Bishop of Bangor. He lived an ascetic life in the north of Wales and several churches were dedicated to him. 

 

David March 1 + c 600. Born in south Wales, he founded a monastery in Mynyw (Menevia) in the far west and is honoured as the first bishop of what is now called St Davids. The monks lived a very ascetic life and their monastery became a seedbed of saints. He attended the Council of Brefi in c 545. The foundation of a dozen monasteries and many miracles are attributed to him. His relics survive and are enshrined in the Cathedral and he is the patron-saint of Wales. 

 

Deifer March 7 6th cent. Founder of Bodfari in Clwyd in Wales. 

 

Deiniol (Daniel) Sept 11 + 584. First Bishop of Bangor in Wales, where the Cathedral is dedicated to him. 

 

Derfel-Gadarn Apr 5 6th cent. A soldier and afterwards a hermit in Llanderfel in Gwynedd in Wales. 

 

Dubricius (Dubric, Dyfrig) Nov 14 + c 545. One of the founders of monastic life in Wales. His main monastic centres were at Henllan and Moccas. However, he founded many other monasteries in Gwent and in England in what is now Herefordshire and the Wye Valley. He had jurisdiction over Caldey Island where he appointed St Samson abbot and later consecrated him bishop. A late tradition makes him Archbishop of Caerleon. He reposed on the Isle of Bardsey.  

 

Eigrad Jan 6 6th cent. A brother of St Samson, he was a disciple of St Illtyd and founded a church in Anglesey in Wales. 

 

Eingan (Einion, Eneon, Anianus) Feb 9 6th cent. A British prince who left Cumberland for Wales, he finished his days as a hermit at Llanengan near Bangor.

 

Elaeth the King Nov 10 6th cent. A Briton driven into Wales by the Picts. He became a monk with St Seiriol in Anglesey in Wales. Some of his poems still exist. 

 

Elerius Nov 3 6th cent. Abbot of a monastery in the north of Wales. 

 

Enoder (Cynidr, Kenedr, Quidic) Apr 27 6th cent. Llangynidr in Powys in Wales is named after him, as also St Enoder or Enodoc in Cornwall and Kenderchurch in Herefordshire in England. 

 

Enodoch (Wenedoc) March 7 + c 520. A saint in Wales. 

 

Eurgain June 30 6th cent. Foundress of Cor-Eurgain in Wales, later called Llantwit. 

 

Finian of Clonard Dec 12 + c 549. Born in Myshall in Co. Carlow, he became a monk in Wales. After a long stay there, he returned to Ireland and founded many churches and monasteries. Clonard was the greatest and it was here that Finian had as disciples many of the so-called 'Twelve Apostles of Ireland', among whom was St Columba. Finian indeed became known as the 'Teacher of the Irish Saints'. 

 

Gallgo Nov 27 6th cent. Founder of Llanallgo in Anglesey in Wales. 

 

Gildas the Wise Jan 29 + c 570. Born in the year the Britons defeated the Saxons at Bath, he was a disciple of St Illtyd. Towards the end of his life, he went to Brittany and lived as a hermit on the island of Rhuys. St Gildas is famous for a work on the sufferings of his homeland, De excidiis Britanniae. 

 

Gluvias (Glywys) May 3 6th cent. Brother of St Cadoc of Llancarfan in Wales, he went to Cornwall, where he founded a monastery. A church in Cornwall is dedicated to him. 

 

Govan (Goven, Cofen) June 20 6th cent. A hermit who lived halfway down a cliff at St Govan's Head in Dyfed in Wales where his stone hut can still be seen. He is probably buried under the altar in the hut, which later became a small chapel. Govan was probably a disciple of St Ailbe. 

 

Gudwall (Curval) June 6 6th cent. A bishop from Wales who founded monasteries in Devon and Cornwall.