March 3rd - St. Gwenole

Gwenole (aka Guenole, Winwaloe, Winwallus, Winwaloeus)was born around 460 C.E., the third son of Fragan (aka Fracan, a prince of Dumnonia) and Gwenn, born shortly after their arrival in Brittany having fled, with their young twin sons (Guethenoc/Wethenoc and Jacut) from the plague in Wales. His sister Clervie/Creirwy and half-brother Cadfan were born later, while the family were living at Ploufragan, near Saint-Brieuc.

Gwenole was educated by Budoc of Dol on Lavret Island in the Brehat archipelago near Paimpol. As a youn man he is said to have conceived a wish to visit Ireland, to see the remains of St. Patrick who had recently died. However, the saint appeared to him in a dream, and advised him to stay in Brittany and found an abbey. So, with eleven of Budoc's other disciples, he set up a small monastery on the Ile de Tibdy, at the mouth of the river Faou, but, since it was so inhospitable there, he then founded another abbey on the opposite bank of the estuary - Landevennec Abbey. It is said that the local lord, Gradlon/Gralon, fled to Gwenole after the flooding of Is/Ys - see below.

Gwenole died at Landevennec in 532.

Gwenole was venerated as a saint at Landevennec until Viking invasions in 914 forced the monks to flee, with his body, to Chateau-du-Loir, and then Montreuil. His shrine there was destroyed during the French Revolution in 1793.

His name was for a time confused with the word 'gignere' - to beget - and he thus acquired a reputation as a patron of fertility. The feet of his statue in a chapel at Prigny are pierced with needles by girls who hope to thus find their soulmates - although how that works, who knows!

Several churches are dedicated to him in Cornwall and Wales, and small relics are held at Exeter Cathedral, Glastonbury Abbey, Abingdon Abbey, and Waltham Abbey Church.

The legend of Ys (aka Is, Ker-Is)

The mystical/mythical city of Ys was built on land reclaimed from the sea in the Baie de Douranenez, by Gradlon (aka Gralon), King of Cornouaille/Kerne on the request of his daughter Dahut (aka Ahes) who loved the sea. To protect the city from flooding, a sea wall was built, with a gate that was opened for ships at low tide. There was only one key that opened the sea gate, and this was in the possession of King Gradlon.

Ys was a city rich in commerce and the arts, one of the most beautiful and impressive cities in Europe. Gradlon's palace was made of marble, cedar, and gold, and he was a pious man, but Dahut his daughter was wayward, and under her influence the people of Ys became corrupt.

Gwenole decried the corruption of Ys, and warned of God's wrath and punishment, but he was ignored by both Dahut and the people. One night Dahut arranged to give a secret banquet for her lover, a knight clad in red (or with a red beard). She stole the key to the sea-gate from her father and opened the gate to let the lover in. It was high tide, and a storm was raging: the waves were as high as mountains - and the entire city was submerged by the sea. Her lover was the devil.

Intuitively aware that the flood was imminent, Gwenole woke the king and commanded him to flee. The king and his daughter mounted his magical horse, Morvarcv'h, but a voice called out: 'Throw the demon thou carriest into the sea, if thou dost not desire to perish!'

Gradlon refused, but, who knows how, Dahut fell from the horse into the sea where she became a sea-morgen/morgan, one of the eternally young water sprites, that, like the sirens, lure men to their death by their beauty and with glimpses of underwater kingdoms.

Gradlon was saved, and, having initially fled to Gwenole at Landevennec, took refuge in Quimper, which became his new capital... but the bells of the churches of Ys are still to be heard when the sea is calm, and legend tells that when Paris (Par-Ys, meaning 'similar to Ys/Is) is' swallowed' (although by what is not told), the city of Ys will rise from the waves...

The Companions of St. Gwenole made a pilgrimage from Cornwall to Landevennec in 2013, including a visit to the Chemin Neuf Community at Abbay de Boquen (near Rennes)  "where Ignatian Spirituality embraces Charismatic Renewal".

Chemin Neuf was founded in 1973 with an ecumenical vocation springing from a prayer group in Lyon, France. It presently has over 900 members in 18 countries. Couples, families, celibate men and women choose to follow the adventure of modern community life, following Christ, poor and humble to serve the Church, the Gospel and the world. Their spirituality is described as beginning at the foot of the cross of Christ.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, made his retreat prior to his episcopal ordination in 2011 at Hautecombe Abbey, the Chemin Neuf International Formation Centre near Lyon.

The Cornish pilgrimage visit in 2013 ended with La Priere pour l’Unite: 

Lord Jesus,
who prayed that we might all be one
we pray to you for the unity of Christians,
according to your will,
according to your means.

May your Spirit enable us
to experience the suffering caused by division,
to see our sin,
and to hope beyond all hope.  Amen.