(i)
Dubricius
Dubricius, a younger contemporary of Illtud, possibly
consecrated by Germanus, is represented in the Vita
Samsonsis at ordaining Samson priest in 504 and bishop in
521. He lived well into the 6th century and may have been
Illtud's successor as abbot. One of Dubricius' pupils
was Teilo, who founded the monastery at Llandeilo Fawr and
was reputed to have become Bishop of LLandaff.
(ii) Samson of Dol
Turning now to Samson, we learn that he found the monastery
at Llantwit too noisy and crowded for his liking and set off
for an island on which lived a holy priest Piro. This island
of YnysByr has been identified as Caldy. The church on Caldy
is dedicated to both Illtud and Samson. From Caldy, Samson
went to Ireland, then returned to become abbot of Llantwit.
Eventually Samson travelled to Brittany, where he founded a
monastery at Dol, and became its first abbot in about 521.
Because (perhaps) Samson was already a bishop, in later
times Dol became the centre of a diocese, and its church was
re-built as a Cathedral. He is reputed to have founded
several other monasteries and churches.
(iii) Pol de Leon
If Breton Pol de Leon and the Carmarthenshire Paulinus are
one and the same, he went to live as a hermit near
Llandovery (at Llanddeusant). This developed into a sizeable
monastery, and Paulinus is credited as being a teacher of
St.David.
He migrated from Wales to Britanny and was granted the Ile
de Batz where he either founded a monastery or expanded an
existing one. He set up a centre for mission near Morlaix,
now known as St.Pol de Leon, and this remains the centre of
his cult today.
(iv) Gildas de Rhuys
Gildas migrated to Britanny and set up his monastery at Ruys
near Vannes. Having landed at Houat, this became an adjunct
to his great monastery where he and his followers could find
solitude and he is said to have died there.
His fame was established as the author of De Excidio et
Conquesti Britanniae and he remains a revered saint to the
present. The monastery claims to be his burial place, and
annual Pardons are held in several places in Britanny. |
