Saint Teilo | |
|---|---|
 St Teilo in Holy Trinity Church, Abergavenny | |
| Born | c. 500 Penally,Pembrokeshire,Wales |
| Died | c. 560 Llandeilo Fawr |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church[1] |
| Feast | 9 February (Wales) 25 November (Brittany) 29 November (Dol) |
| Patronage | Cardiff |
Saint Teilo (Latin:Teliarus[2] orTeliavus;Breton:Teliau[2] orTelo;French:Télo[2] orThéleau;c. 500 – 9 Februaryc. 560), also known asEliud,[3] was aBritishChristian monk, bishop, and founder of monasteries and churches. He was from Penalun (Penally) nearTenby inPembrokeshire, south Wales.
Reputed to be a cousin, friend, and disciple ofSaint David, he wasbishop of Llandaff and founder of the first church atLlandaff Cathedral, where his tomb is. He also foundedLlandeilo Fawr, as well asPenally Abbey at his place of birth.
St Teilo may have been known as Eliau or Eilliau inOld Welsh.[2] He was born at Penalun (Penally) around the year 500.[4] Teilo's father is usually identified as Ensich ap Hydwn,[5] and he was thought to be the brother of Anowed, and the uncle of SaintsIsmael andEuddogwy.[6] In some modern sources,[7] he is accounted the grandson ofCeredig son ofCunedda and thus a member of the royal family ofGwynedd which later consideredSaint David among its members.[3] However, that rather dubious connection to a northern dynasty seems to depend on the Iolo Manuscripts now known to have been forged byEdward Williams.[8]
Teilo's education took place at two institutions directed by saints. The first was established by the renowned Church leader and educatorDubricius (or Dyfrig), while the second was the school directed byPaulinus of Wales[9] at "Wincdi-Lantquendi" (thought to be Whitland) where he met and became a close companion of St David (Dewi).
Like many founder-bishops, they appear to have had experience in battle. Along with companions Aeddan and Ysfael, he traveled toMynyw (St. Davids), where Dewi founded his abbey, and ousted anIrish pirate named Bwya, killed his cattle and burnt his fortress to the ground.[10] He succeeded Dubricius asBishop of Llandaff after Dubricius retired to a hermitage on Bardsey Island. Teilo founded the firstchurch in Llandaff,[11] headed a monastic school, and become bishop over Glywysing & Gwent.
In the 540syellow plague, probably the Justinian plague, affected Britain. In 549 Teilo, with a small group of monks, moved toDol inBrittany.[7] He is reported to have stayed in Brittany for seven years and seven months and so must have left in 556 or 557, although some sources imply he returned in 554.[3] They traveled throughDumnonia and were reported to have received the confession KingGeraint[12] and joinedSamson of Dol at Dol: to this day the fruit groves they planted are known as the groves of Teilo and Samson.[7] Legend has it that Teilo was asked byBudic II of Brittany to subdue a belligerent winged dragon, which he tamed and tied to a rock in the sea off Brittany.[7]
After his return to Llandeilo Fawr, where he is documented to have died on 9 February, although the year, though probably around 560, is unknown, he became one of the most venerated men in Wales. At his death Teilo's body was said to have miraculously become three identical bodies, probably because his relics were claimed by three churches,Llandaff Cathedral,Llandeilo Fawr, andPenally Abbey.[2] One tomb lies to the right of the altar ofLlandaff Cathedral: his skull is kept in the south chapel in areliquary,[7] which was in the possession of the Mathew family from 1480 to 1658 afterSir David Mathew restored St. Teilo's shrine in Llandaff Cathedral, which was desecrated by pirates Briston. It was gifted byBishop Marshall. It is stated that many miracles were witnessed there while he was alive and also later at his tomb.[13] Relics are now even more widely distributed: they are venerated atLandeleau (Finistère),Plogonnec (Finistère), andSaint-Thélo (Côtes-du-Nord).[13]
In the 2004 edition of theRoman Martyrology, Teilo is listed under 9 February with the Latin nameTeliávus. He is recognised as bishop and abbot at the monastery in Llandaf, Wales. He is said to have been canonized, though the exact date is not known, but he is acknowledged as one who undertook extraordinary labours in behalf of the church in Wales and Cornwall and who was also celebrated inArmorica (Brittany and surrounding provinces).[14] He is not infrequently represented, as in many Breton churches, riding a stag.[2]
At least 25 churches and schools in Wales, Brittany, andCornwall andDevon are dedicated to him[2] includingSt Teilo's Church, Llandeloy, St Teilo's Church, Llantilio Pertholey, St Teilo's Catholic Church in Whitchurch, Cardiff andSt Teilo's Church in Wales High School, Cardiff, while there are three villages in Brittany namedLandeleau,Landêliau andSaint-Thélo after him.[3]
St. Teilo is the Patron Saint of the city ofCardiff.
The festival in honour of Saint Teilo is observed at different times of the year at different places: in Wales and at Saint Télo, on 9 February; at Dol, on 29 November; and on 25 November in the rest of the churches in Brittany.[2] Following1752, however, hisfair atLlandeilo in Wales was not observed on the 9th but eleven days later on the 20th or on the Sunday following that date.[15]
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