Tro Breizh: A Devotional Calendar of Breton Saints: January 2018

Sunday 28 January 2018

January 29th: St. Gweltaz

January 29th: St. Gweltaz (aka Gildas 'the Sage' or 'the Wise' or Giltas)

Gildas was born around 494 in Scotland, possibly in Strathclyde, and was mentioned in a

letter of St. Columban to Pope Gregory the Great.

He was the author of a sermon 'De Excidio and Conquestu Britanniae' (On the ruin of

Britain) in which he criticised various rulers including Constantin (of Devon and Cornwall),

Vortiporius (of Dyfed, South Wales), Magiocunus (of Gwynedd, North Wales, and

Anglesey), Aurelius Caninus and Cuneglasus.

In other writings Gildas promoted the monastic life, although with rules less austere than

that of his contemporary St. David.

Three 'Lives of St. Gildas' have been preserved, two dating from around the mid C11, and

the third from C13.

It is said that he was the son of Caunus or Nau, a king of Scotland, and had four brothers

(one of whom, Huail or Cuillius, is said to have rebelled against King Arthur and was killed

by him) and a sister, Peteona/Peteova.

Possibly a metal-worker (he presented a bell to the Abbess Brigitte of Kildare), Gildas was

initially a disciple of St. Ildut of Llantwit Manor in Wales, was ordained priest, visited

Ireland, and went as a missionary to the north of Britain, before, at the age of 30, he and

others, including Samson de Dol and Pol Aurelien, came to Armorica (aka Letavia/Llydaw).

There they established a monastery (St. Gildas de Rhuys) and a hermitage (at Blavet).

When Gildas died on the island of Houat, his Cornish disciples wanted to take the body

home with them, but the ship was shipwrecked, although the body survived and was

retrieved by monks of St. Gildas de Rhuys, and buried at the monastery church.

He is called upon to help fight insanity and rage, and is also known as the protector of

horses.

Holy Sophia, God’s companion at creation,

instruct this follower of the Way

with the holy fire of love

and the blessings of discernment.

Divine Wisdom, fill us with spiritual hunger;

and be our mentor as we grow and gain knowledge;

that in all our wanderings

we may find a spark of heaven here on earth.

Amen.

(Adapted from a prayer by Paul Peter Jesep 2011)

January 28th: Bienheureux Juluan Maunoir

January 28th: Bienheureux Juluan Maunoir (aka Julien Maunorr, Tad Maner)

Julien Maunoir was born on 1^st October 1606 at St. Georges de Reintembault, near

Rennes.

He studied at the Jesuit college in Rennes from 1621, and there met Fr. Pierre Coton,

confessor of King Henry IV of France, who received him as a novitiate at Saint German de

Paris on 16^th September 1625. Julien pronounced his first vows there in 1627, and went on

to study philosophy for three years at the Jesuit College de Henri IV la Fleche.

From 1630 to 1633 he taught Latin and Greek at Quimper College, where he was visited by

the missionary Dom Michel le Nobletz, who saw in Julien his successor as missionary to the

Breton countryside. Julien then began to study Breton (although some say he received the

language as a gift from angels), and after two years he had sufficient mastery to teach

catechism and visit the sick in hospitals.

After a year of teaching at Tours and four years theological study at Bourges he was

ordained priest on 6^th June 1637. He then spent a further year in Rouen before returning

to Quimper.

Following a dream and a healing that he considered miraculous, shortly after Christmas

1636, Julien dedicated himself to being a missionary in Brittany. His first mission was to
Douarnenez in 1641.

Over the next 43 years he travelled with his companion, Fr. Pierre Bernard, throughout

Brittany, preaching 439 rural missions, using the allegorical maps of Fr. Mikel le Nobletz,

but also introducing the use of hymns in Breton (some of which were published), and a

procession tracing scenes from the life of Jesus. His missions were very popular, and

Julien himself reckoned that in one year alone they attracted 40,000 people, of whom

3,000 were converted.

Julien also wrote 'The life of Marie-Amice Picard' in which he defends the Breton mystic.

Born in 1599, in the hamlet of Kergam in the parish of Guiclan, in the diocese of Leon,

Marie Amice was the daughter of poor peasants, who, as a child, kept the flocks and then

became a weaver. At the age of seven, reputedly influenced after hearing a sermon

preached, she promised God to do his will, remain a virgin, and suffer the torments of

martyrs. She refused proposals of marriage and successfully resisted a rape attempt. At

the age of 35 she began to experience visions, ecstasies, and torments, accompanied by

stigmata. Accused of witchcraft and denounced by a mob, she was forced by the Bishop of

Leon to submit to torture, after which she was recognised as an 'eccentric Christian'. She

died on Christmas Day 1652 and was buried in the cathedral of Kastell Paol (St. Pol de

Leon), Finistere, where her tomb became the subject of popular worship

Julien Maunoir died on 28^th January 1683 preparing a final mission to Plevin. He was

buried here at Plevin in the church grounds, at the insistence of his people, and there is

an annual memorial pardon, which we have today attended. The mass was led by a

visiting priest from Haiti, and the church was packed.

Julien Maunoir is known as 'the apostle of Brittany', and was beatified by Pope Pious XII,

on 20^th May 1951. He is thus Blessed, or Bienheureux' - well happy!

Meulomp, meulomp, Brettoned, meulompan Tad Maner

Meulomp mignon mamm Doue ha mignon hon Salver

Er vro-man gant karantez en deus kalz labouter,

Pedpomp, pedomp, Bretoned, an Tad Mat benninget.

Pa zeuje dre at maro Jezuz Krist d'hen gervel,

Gant at bobl paour en dovoa det deziret marvel:

'Ganta am eus tremenet, emezan, ma buhez,

Ganta goude at maro e karfen chom ivez'.

Meulomp, meulomp...

Taolit eta war Vreiziz eur sell a drugarexz,

Tad Mat, e kreiz hon anken, reit dimp al levenez,

Ha ra selaouimp brpred ho mouez ouz hon gervel,

War ho lerc'h, war hent Jezuz, d'ar vuhez peurbadel.

Meulomp, meulomp...

For those of us who might struggle a little with Breton (!) here is some music of an earlier
mystic, Hildegard von Bingen:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?
q=hildegard+von+bingen+music&view=detail&mid=9EB156E662CAFD2FDAE09EB156E662CAFD2FDAE0&FORM=VIRE

January 27th: St Gildwen

January 27th: St Gildwen (aka Gilduin, Gilduern, and Gelduin de Dol, 'Royal Friend')

Gildwenwas born around 1052, son of the powerful lord of Combourge, Riwallon de Dol

and Aremburge du Puiset , daughter of Gelduin Viscount of Chartres.

One of his paternal uncles, Jungeunee was Archbishop of Dol-de-Bretagnbe, and one of his

brothers, Guillaume, later became Abbot at St-Florent de Saumur.

Gildwen became a deacon in 1072, then canon, and was elected Archbishop of Dol by

Pope Gregory VII because of his piety and purity.

Gildwen protested against this choice, because of his youth (25 years old) and

inexperience, and travelled to Rome, accompanied by Even, Abbot of St.-Melaine de

Rennes.

The Pope agreed to appoint Even in Gildwen's stead.

Leaving Rome, Gildwen decided to make a pilgrimage to Chartres, where his maternal

family originated.

During the walk he died of a high fever in the Abbey St. Pere-en-Vallee, near Chartres.

He is buried in the choir of the abbey church, and is honoured as patron of pilgrims.