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Saint Illtud (also spelled Illtyd, Eltut, and, in Latin, Hildutus), also known as Illtud Farchog or Illtud the Knight, is venerated as the
abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The fe ...
teacher of the divinity school, Bangor Illtyd, located in Llanilltud Fawr (Llantwit Major) in Glamorgan, Wales. He founded the monastery and college in the 6th century, and the school is believed to be Britain's earliest centre of learning. At its height, it had over a thousand pupils and schooled many of the great saints of the age, such as
Saint David Saint David ( cy, Dewi Sant; la, Davidus; ) was a Welsh bishop of Mynyw (now St Davids) during the 6th century. He is the patron saint of Wales. David was a native of Wales, and tradition has preserved a relatively large amount of detail abo ...
,
Samson of Dol Samson of Dol (also Samsun; born late 5th century) was a Cornish saint, who is also counted among the seven founder saints of Brittany with Pol Aurelian, Tugdual or Tudwal, Brieuc, Malo, Patern (Paternus) and Corentin. Born in southern Wal ...
, and the historian Gildas.Rudge, F.M. (1910). St. Illtyd. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 1 September 2012


Hagiography

St. Illtud was popular among the very ancient Celts, but there are few dependable sources about his life story. The earliest mention of St. Illtud is in the ''Vita Sancti Sampsonis'', written in Dol, Brittany, about 600 AD. According to this account, Illtud was the disciple of Bishop Germanus of Auxerre in north-central France. According to the St. Sampson biography, Illtud was the most accomplished of all the Britons, and was well versed in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as well as every type of philosophy, including geometry, rhetoric, grammar, and arithmetic. He was also "gifted with the power of foretelling future events". It appears that he was an educated Briton living shortly after Rome's departure from the West. According to ''Life of St. Illtud'' written circa 1140, Illtud was the son of a Breton prince and a cousin of King Arthur. According to this ''Life'', Illtud's parents intended him for service in the church and had him educated in literature for this purpose. However, he forsook his religious upbringing, choosing instead to pursue a military career. He took a wife named Trynihid, and became a soldier in western Britain (now Wales), in service first to King Arthur, and then to the King Poulentus. As a result of this, he is sometimes called St. Illtud the Knight. One afternoon, he took a hunting party onto the lands of
Cadoc Saint Cadoc or Cadog ( lat-med, Cadocus; also Modern Welsh: Cattwg; born or before) was a 5th–6th-century Abbot of Llancarfan, near Cowbridge in Glamorgan, Wales, a monastery famous from the era of the British church as a centre of learning ...
. The party sent a message to the abbot, demanding that the abbot feed them. The abbot deemed their demand to be very rude and improper, but graciously offered them a meal anyway. Before they could enjoy the meal, the ground opened up and swallowed the whole party as just punishment for their impiety. Only Illtud was spared, and he went to St. Cadog on his knees, begging forgiveness for his sinful act. The abbot told him to give up his selfish ways and go back to his religious upbringing. Inspired, Illtud gave up his wife, and became a hermit in the Vale of Glamorgan (a matrimonial detail which was regarded as dubious). Illtud helped pioneer the monastic life of Wales by founding a monastery in what is now Llantwit Major. This became the first major Welsh monastic school, and was a hub of
Celtic Christianity Celtic Christianity ( kw, Kristoneth; cy, Cristnogaeth; gd, Crìosdaidheachd; gv, Credjue Creestee/Creestiaght; ga, Críostaíocht/Críostúlacht; br, Kristeniezh; gl, Cristianismo celta) is a form of Christianity that was common, or held ...
in
Sub-Roman Britain Sub-Roman Britain is the period of late antiquity in Great Britain between the end of Roman rule and the Anglo-Saxon settlement. The term was originally used to describe archaeological remains found in 5th- and 6th-century AD sites that hin ...
. Illtud's own pupils are reckoned to have included seven sons of British princes and scholars such as Saint Patrick,
Paul Aurelian Paul Aurelian (known in Breton as Paol Aorelian or Saint Pol de Léon and in Latin as Paulinus Aurelianus) was a 6th-century Welshman who became first bishop of the See of Léon and one of the seven founder saints of Brittany. He allegedly die ...
,
Taliesin Taliesin ( , ; 6th century AD) was an early Brittonic poet of Sub-Roman Britain whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the ''Book of Taliesin''. Taliesin was a renowned bard who is believed to have sung at the courts o ...
, Gildas and Samson of Dol. Saint David is also believed to have spent some time there.


Cult and veneration

St. Illtud's feast day and commemoration is celebrated on 6 November, but the great 'pardon of Ildut at Locildut in Brittany is held on the last Sunday of July. According to legend, Illtud was buried west of the town of
Brecon Brecon (; cy, Aberhonddu; ), archaically known as Brecknock, is a market town in Powys, mid Wales. In 1841, it had a population of 5,701. The population in 2001 was 7,901, increasing to 8,250 at the 2011 census. Historically it was the count ...
, in the church of Llanilltud (sometimes called Capel Illtud, which was demolished in the late 20th century), on a tract of moorland known as
Mynydd Illtud Mynydd Illtud is an extensive area of common land near Libanus, Powys, Wales, located in the Brecon Beacons National Park and some three miles south-west of Brecon. The common is an undulating plateau lying between above sea level. Its highest p ...
. Near this church, there is a megalithic monument called ''Bedd Gwyl Illtyd'', or the "Grave of St. Illtud's Eve." Until comparatively recently, Illtud was honoured by the practice of ‘watching’ (keeping vigil) at this stone before his festival. The ''Life'' tells of Illtyd's bell being recovered from the armies of King Edgar the Peaceful and of Illtyd's protecting his people against the people of yr Hen Ogledd in the time of William the Conqueror. There is also a cross, probably of the ninth century, bearing the inscription: SAMSON POSUIT HANC CRUCEM PRO ANIMA EIUS ILITET SAMSON REGIS SAMUEL ERISAR – "Samson placed his Cross here for his soul, for the soul of Illtud, Samson, Rhain, Sawyl and Ebisar". There is no formal evidence for a cult of Illtyd surviving from before the 11th century. However, in Celtic countries it is the names of places that tell us most about the existence and veneration of the saints during the oldest times. The town of Llanilltud Fawr (Llantwit Major in English) where Illtud's college is located is of course named for him (Welsh: ''llan'' church enclosure + ''Illtud'' + ''mawr'' great. Literally, Illtud's great church), and was the chief centre of the cult of St Illtud. In Glamorgan many churches are dedicated to him, first and foremost
St Illtyd's Church, Llantwit Major St Illtyd's Church is a church complex in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, southeast Wales. It is located at the site of the oldest college in the United Kingdom, once believed to have been founded as Côr Tewdws c. AD 395 by the Roman Empe ...
, which stands on what is believed to have been the site of the monastery. Many other places are dedicated to him is because they belonged to the Llantwit monastery.Llantwit Major site; http://www.illtudsgalileechapel.org.uk/britains-earliest-centre-of-learning/saint-illtud/ Near to Llantwit itself are the villages of
Llantrithyd Llantrithyd (also Llantriddyd) is a rural village and community in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The Aubrey Baronets were lords of the manor of Llantrithyd for centuries: the family died out in the 1850s. St Illtyd's Church The church of St I ...
, Llantwit Fardre, and
Llantrisant Llantrisant (; " Parish of the Three Saints") is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The three saints of the town's name are ...
and at Newcastle and Bridgend churches are dedicated to St Illtud. In
Brecknockshire , image_flag= , HQ= Brecon , Government= Brecknockshire County Council (1889-1974) , Origin= Brycheiniog , Status= , Start= 1535 , End= ...
, the church at Llanhamlach east of
Brecon Brecon (; cy, Aberhonddu; ), archaically known as Brecknock, is a market town in Powys, mid Wales. In 1841, it had a population of 5,701. The population in 2001 was 7,901, increasing to 8,250 at the 2011 census. Historically it was the count ...
is dedicated to him, and lies south of a Megalithic grave called Ty Illtud, which was a site of mediaeval pilgrimage, the inside walls of the grave bearing incised crosses. The grave is thought to have been a retreat of the saint, as was a similar megalithic monument Roc'h Ildut near Coadut (Coat Ildut/Coed Illtud/ Illtud's Wood) in Brittany, demolished in the 19th century. Llantrisant's three saints were Illtud, Gwynno and Tyfodwg. In Merthyr Tudful there are holy wells of Gwynno and Illtud. West of Brecon, the church of Llanilltud is on a mountain known as
Mynydd Illtud Mynydd Illtud is an extensive area of common land near Libanus, Powys, Wales, located in the Brecon Beacons National Park and some three miles south-west of Brecon. The common is an undulating plateau lying between above sea level. Its highest p ...
. Dedications in and around
Gower Gower ( cy, Gŵyr) or the Gower Peninsula () in southwest Wales, projects towards the Bristol Channel. It is the most westerly part of the historic county of Glamorgan. In 1956, the majority of Gower became the first area in the United Kingdom ...
include Ilston, formerly Llanilltud Gwyr, Oxwich, a holy well of S. Iltut in Llanrhidian, Llanilltud Fach, or Llantwit-juxta-Neath and Pen-bre. A 13th century church on
Caldey Island Caldey Island ( Welsh:''Ynys Bŷr'') is a small island near Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales, less than off the coast. With a recorded history going back over 1,500 years, it is one of the holy islands of Britain. A number of traditions inherited fr ...
, Pembrokeshire, is dedicated to the saint. In North Wales, there is a Llanelltyd near Dolgellau. In Brittany, there are approximately 24, if other place-names like Aberildut are included; largely confined to the ancient dioceses of Leon, Treguier and Vannes, with small outliers in the region of Saint Malo, originally in the diocese of his pupil Samson. John Stowe's 1603 list of the bishops of London includes an "Iltuta" who is sometimes conflated with Illtud.Parker, John
''The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite, Now First Translated into English, From the Original Greek'', Appendix: "List of Bishops".
James Parker& Co. (London), 1897.


Arthurian connections

According to the 12th century ''Life of St. Illtud'', Illtud's father was Bicanus, a minor Breton prince, and his mother was Rieingulid, a princess and daughter of Anblaud, king of Lesser Britain (Brittany). This is probably meant to be Ewyas, an area on the Herefordshire-Monmouthshire border, which retains many memories of Arthur and Illtud's family. He was alleged to be the cousin of the legendary King Arthur, serving him as a young soldier. One medieval Welsh document names Illtud, in his knightly days, as one of the triumvirate (the others were named Cadoc and Peredur) to whom King Arthur gave custody of the
Holy Grail The Holy Grail (french: Saint Graal, br, Graal Santel, cy, Greal Sanctaidd, kw, Gral) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe the Holy Grail as a cup, dish, or stone with miracul ...
. On this basis, some scholars have tried to identify Knight Illtud with Sir Galahad.


References


External links

* * {{authority control 5th-century births 6th-century Christian saints 6th-century deaths Arthurian characters Medieval Welsh saints Welsh-speaking clergy King Arthur's family