12th February - Sant Riog

February 12th - Sant Riog (aka Rioc/Riok)

Riog is believed to have been the son of Count Elorn, whose castle was on the banks of the river later known as the Elorn, near la Roche Maurice, north east of Brest in Finistere.

The story goes that the two year old Riog was saved from the clutches of a dragon (which required a child to be sacrificed every week) by two British knights, Derrien and Neventer, returning from the Holy Land. It is said that Derrien subdued the dragon by making the sign of the cross, wrapping his stole around its neck, and leading it to the coast of Plouneour-Trez, where it vanished into the sea. In gratitude, the Count, his wife, and his son converted to Christianity and built the church of Plouneventer (a few miles north of la Roche Maurice).

After the death of his mother, Riog moved to Camaret (south of Brest, across the estuary) where he lived as a hermit for 41 years. Guenole, abbot of Landevennec, then requested Riog to move to the abbey, some miles to the east, on the estuary of the Faou river, where he ended his days.

Riog was declared 'holy' by St. Budoc (third Archbishop of Dol-de-Bretagne & Metropolitan of Brittany) in 633.

A Dragon's Prayer

O Lord, who made the dragon, and the dragon's open sky,
and gave to me a dragon's soul; a dragon's urge to fly:
let me dance within your cloudscapes far beyond Earth's chain,
let me rejoice in my grandeur, let me not grow vain!
Let me vindicate my honour with my fang and claw,
let my raging heart show mercy, let that show no flaw!
Let me have the joy of all the shining gold I've stored,
let no pauper-dragon go forth starving from my hoard.
And, Lord, should the need arise and I be called to fight,
Dragon-Maker, make me victor, and God help that knight!

Dr. Thomas Venturer