Saint Erfyl (also known as Eurfyl, among other names) was a female Welsh virgin. A church in

Llanerfyl Llanerfyl is a village and community in Montgomeryshire, Powys, Wales. Located near the River Banwy, the community includes the village of Llanerfyl, several farms and wide tracts of marchland. The southern part of the community includes Cwm Nant ...

, Powys, where her grave is thought to be located, has been dedicated to her. A holy well in her name was formerly located nearby.

History

Records of the

feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context d ...

of the virgin Saint Erfyl first appear in Wales during the 15th century, recorded as 6 July. Her name may have changed over time, as when listed in the 16th century ''Llanstephan MS 47B'' manuscript, her name appears as Gwerfyl. In a manuscript written in 1508, ''Additional MS 12.913'', a "Urvul a Gwenvul" is listed on the same day. Further similar names have been attributed to her over the years, including Eurfyl, Eurful, Erful, Urful, Urfyl and Yrfyl. A church in

, Powys is dedicated to St. Erfyl, and is supposed to be her place of burial. She has been attributed as a daughter of Saint Padarn and a cousin of Saint Cadfan, though this is a misreading of an inscribed stone, referred to as her gravestone, in the churchyard. The church holds a

reliquary A reliquary (also referred to as a ''shrine'', by the French term ''châsse'', and historically including ''wikt:phylactery, phylacteries'') is a container for relics. A portable reliquary may be called a ''fereter'', and a chapel in which it i ...

of Erfyl and within the grounds there are the remains of a wooden shrine. A

yew Yew is a common name given to various species of trees. It is most prominently given to any of various coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Taxus'': * European yew or common yew (''Taxus baccata'') * Pacific yew or western yew (''Taxus br ...

tree stands in the churchyard, which has had the trunk divided into four. Tradition states that it grew from St. Erfyl's staff. A holy well devoted to the saint formerly stood away from the church. The water was well known for its curing ability, and was previously used as baptismal water in the church. It became a tradition for the children of the surrounding area to drink the water with sugar added on

Easter Monday Easter Monday refers to the day after Easter Sunday in either the Eastern or Western Christian traditions. It is a public holiday in some countries. It is the second day of Eastertide. In Western Christianity, it marks the second day of the Octa ...

Notes

References

* * * {{authority control Christian saints in unknown century People from Powys Female saints of medieval Wales Year of birth unknown