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Illtud
 
 
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Illtud (also spelled Illtyd and, in corrupt English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
, Eltut, and, in Latin
Latin

Latin is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Military history of the Roman Empire, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe....
, Hildutus) (died mid-6th century), was a Welsh
Wales

native_name = Cymru|conventional_long_name = Wales|common_name = Wales|image_flag = Flag of Wales 2.svg|national_motto = ...
 saint
Saint

A saint in Christianity is a human being who has been called to holiness. The term is used differently by various denominations, with some, such as the Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans distinguishing between Saints and saints....
, founder and abbot
Abbot

The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery....
 of Llanilltud Fawr
Llantwit Major

Llantwit Major . Welsh language: Llanilltud Fawr -- llan church enclosure + Illtud + mawr great) is a small coastal town and community in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the Bristol Channel coast....
 (Llantwit Major) in the Welsh
Wales

native_name = Cymru|conventional_long_name = Wales|common_name = Wales|image_flag = Flag of Wales 2.svg|national_motto = ...
 county of Glamorgan
Glamorgan

Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen Historic counties of Wales and a former Administrative divisions of Wales of Wales. It was originally an early medieval monarchy of varying names and boundaries until taken over by the Anglo-Norman as a lordship....
.

7th century 'Life of Saint Samson
Samson of Dol

Saint Samson of Dol was a Celtic Christianity religious figure who is counted among the seven founder saints of Brittany. Born in southern Wales, he died in Dol-de-Bretagne, a small town in north Brittany....
' claims that Illtud was a disciple
DISCiPLE

The DISCiPLE was a floppy disk Electrical connector for the Sinclair Research ZX Spectrum home computer. Designed by Miles Gordon Technology, it was marketed by Rockfort Products and launched in 1986....
 of Germanus of Auxerre
Germanus of Auxerre

Germanus of Auxerre was a bishop of Auxerre in Gaul. He is a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodoxy churches, commemorated on July 31....
 (although this does not necessarily mean that he was taught by him directly), that he was the most learned Briton
Brython

Historically, the Britons were the P-Celtic indigenous peoples inhabiting the island of Great Britain south of the river Forth. They were speakers of the Brythonic languages and shared common cultural traditions; the surviving P-Celtic languages are Welsh language, Cornish language and Breton....
 in the study of scripture and philosophy, and that he was the abbot of his monastery in Glamorgan
Glamorgan

Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen Historic counties of Wales and a former Administrative divisions of Wales of Wales. It was originally an early medieval monarchy of varying names and boundaries until taken over by the Anglo-Norman as a lordship....
.






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Illtud (also spelled Illtyd and, in corrupt English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
, Eltut, and, in Latin
Latin

Latin is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Military history of the Roman Empire, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe....
, Hildutus) (died mid-6th century), was a Welsh
Wales

native_name = Cymru|conventional_long_name = Wales|common_name = Wales|image_flag = Flag of Wales 2.svg|national_motto = ...
 saint
Saint

A saint in Christianity is a human being who has been called to holiness. The term is used differently by various denominations, with some, such as the Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans distinguishing between Saints and saints....
, founder and abbot
Abbot

The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery....
 of Llanilltud Fawr
Llantwit Major

Llantwit Major . Welsh language: Llanilltud Fawr -- llan church enclosure + Illtud + mawr great) is a small coastal town and community in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the Bristol Channel coast....
 (Llantwit Major) in the Welsh
Wales

native_name = Cymru|conventional_long_name = Wales|common_name = Wales|image_flag = Flag of Wales 2.svg|national_motto = ...
 county of Glamorgan
Glamorgan

Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen Historic counties of Wales and a former Administrative divisions of Wales of Wales. It was originally an early medieval monarchy of varying names and boundaries until taken over by the Anglo-Norman as a lordship....
.

Life

The 7th century 'Life of Saint Samson
Samson of Dol

Saint Samson of Dol was a Celtic Christianity religious figure who is counted among the seven founder saints of Brittany. Born in southern Wales, he died in Dol-de-Bretagne, a small town in north Brittany....
' claims that Illtud was a disciple
DISCiPLE

The DISCiPLE was a floppy disk Electrical connector for the Sinclair Research ZX Spectrum home computer. Designed by Miles Gordon Technology, it was marketed by Rockfort Products and launched in 1986....
 of Germanus of Auxerre
Germanus of Auxerre

Germanus of Auxerre was a bishop of Auxerre in Gaul. He is a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodoxy churches, commemorated on July 31....
 (although this does not necessarily mean that he was taught by him directly), that he was the most learned Briton
Brython

Historically, the Britons were the P-Celtic indigenous peoples inhabiting the island of Great Britain south of the river Forth. They were speakers of the Brythonic languages and shared common cultural traditions; the surviving P-Celtic languages are Welsh language, Cornish language and Breton....
 in the study of scripture and philosophy, and that he was the abbot of his monastery in Glamorgan
Glamorgan

Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen Historic counties of Wales and a former Administrative divisions of Wales of Wales. It was originally an early medieval monarchy of varying names and boundaries until taken over by the Anglo-Norman as a lordship....
. He appears to have been married at some stage and may have had a military background

The earliest Life of Illtud, full of implausible legends, was written about 1140. From it may perhaps be retained the claim that he sailed to Brittany
Brittany

Brittany is a former independent Celtic nations monarchy and duchy, now incorporated into France. It is also, more generally, the name of the cultural area whose limits correspond to the historic province and independent duchy....
 with some corn ships to relieve the famine: some Breton churches and villages certainly bear his name. In the Life, Illtud is the son of a minor Breton
Brittany

Brittany is a former independent Celtic nations monarchy and duchy, now incorporated into France. It is also, more generally, the name of the cultural area whose limits correspond to the historic province and independent duchy....
 prince named Bican Farchog, who begins his career as a skilled warrior, serving his maternal cousin, King Arthur
King Arthur

King Arthur is a legendary Britons leader who, according to medieval histories and Romance , led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders in the early 6th century....
, and others until his wild ways brought him into conflict with Saint Cadoc
Cadoc

Saint Cadoc or Cadog , Abbot of Llancarfan, was one of the 6th century Religion in Wales, whose vita twice mentions King Arthur. The Abbey of Llancarfan, near Cowbridge in Glamorganshire, which he founded circa 518, became famous as a centre of learning....
 at Llancarfan
Llancarfan

Llancarfan is a rural village and community , west of Barry, Vale of Glamorgan near Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, in Wales. The village has a pub and a well-known parish church, the site of Saint Cadoc's 6th century abbey, famed for its learning....
 Abbey. Illtud's warband raids the abbey, but the monks pursue them into a bog where the earth swallows all of them except Illtud. Cadoc reminds Illtud of his religion, and the humbled warrior takes up the monastic life.

In an age when any schooling was available only to a very few privileged people, perhaps Illtud's monastic school
Cor Tewdws

Cor Tewdws , Llantwit Major, reputedly burnt down in AD 446, was refounded, after 62 years, by Illtud in 508 and flourished into the 13th Century....
 was the closest approximation in existence to an institution of higher education. Among Illtud's pupils were Saints Pol Aurelian, Samson of Dol
Samson of Dol

Saint Samson of Dol was a Celtic Christianity religious figure who is counted among the seven founder saints of Brittany. Born in southern Wales, he died in Dol-de-Bretagne, a small town in north Brittany....
, Gildas
Gildas

Saint Gildas was a 6th century Britons cleric. He is one of the best-documented figures of the Christianity church in the British Isles during the 6th century....
 and David
Saint David

Saint David was a church official; he was later regarded as a saint and as the patron saint of Wales. In contrast with the other national patron saints of the British Isles, Saints Saint George, Saint Andrew and Saint Patrick, David is a native of the country of which he is patron saint, and a relatively large amount of information is known...
.

Veneration

An inscription on a cross at Llantwit says "Samson placed his Cross here for his soul, for the soul of Illtud, Samson, Rhain, Sawyl and Ebisar". It is possible that it was erected by Saint Samson himself in the 6th century, although it may be somewhat later. There is no formal evidence for a cult of Illtud surviving from before the 11th century. However his monastery, reputed to contain hundreds of monks, was one of the most influential in South Wales
South Wales

South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west....
, and many churches in Wales are dedicated to him, including St Illtyd's Church, Llantwit Major
St Illtyd's Church, Llantwit Major

St Illtyd's Church, Llantwit Major, is one of the oldest and best-known parish churches in Wales.The name of the town is an English corruption of the Welsh name Llanilltud Fawr , and on this site Saint Illtud is believed to have founded a teaching monastery or 'llan' during the 6th century....
, which stands on what is believed to have been the site of the monastery. The Life tells of Illtud's bell being recovered from King Edgar
Edgar of England

Edgar I the Peaceful or the Peaceable was a king of England.Edgar was the younger son of Edmund I of England. His cognomen, "The Peaceable", was not necessarily a comment on the deeds of his life, for he was a strong leader, shown by his seizure of the Northumbrian and Mercian kingdoms from his older brother, Edwy, in 958....
's armies and of Illtud's protecting his people against the people of North Wales
North Wales

File:North Wales .pngNorth Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales and to the east by England....
 in the time of William the Conqueror
William I of England

William I , better known as William the Conqueror , was Duke of Normandy from 1035 and English monarchy from later 1066 to his death. William is sometimes also referred to as "William II" in relation to his position as the second Duke of Normandy of that name....
. His feast day is November 6.

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