Saint Pompeia (in
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
: ''Alma Pompeia'' or in
Breton: ''Koupaia''
), also known as Aspasia, is a legendary
Breton saint who supposedly lived in the 6th century. Her feast day is celebrated on
2 January.
Legendary biography
According to the life of her son,
Tudwal, Pompeia was the sister of King
Riwal II of
Domnonée
Domnonée is the modern French form of Domnonia or Dumnonia (Latin for "Devon"; br, Domnonea), a historic kingdom in northern Armorica (Brittany) founded by British immigrants from Dumnonia (Sub-Roman Devon) fleeing the Saxon invasions of Britai ...
.
Tradition at Langoat further asserts that she became one of the wives of the fictional King
Hoel
King Hoel ( br, Hoel I Mawr, "Hoel the Great"; la, Hoelus, Hovelus, Hœlus), also known as Sir Howel, Saint Hywel and Hywel the Great, was a late 5th- and early 6th-centuryFord, David Nashat ''Early British Kingdoms''. 2001. Retrieved 1 D ...
Mawr (or the Great) who was invented by
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth ( la, Galfridus Monemutensis, Galfridus Arturus, cy, Gruffudd ap Arthur, Sieffre o Fynwy; 1095 – 1155) was a British cleric from Monmouth, Wales and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography ...
as a supposed overlord of all Brittany.
After being exiled in Britain for some years, Pompeia eventually returned to her husband's kingdom with her daughter, Saint Scaeva, and her son, Saint Tudwal.
She settled near the monastery of
Tréguier
Tréguier (; br, Landreger) is a port town in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. It is the capital of the province of Trégor.
Geography
Tréguier is located 36 m. N.W. of Saint-Brieuc by road. The port is situ ...
, founded by the latter, and died where the church of
Langoat stands today.
Her relics are still preserved there and a shrine has been erected to her memory.
Family
Saint Pompeia was the mother of:
*
Saint Tudwal
Saint Tudwal (died c. 564), also known as Tual, Tudgual, Tugdual, Tugual, Pabu, Papu, or Tugdualus (Latin), was a Breton monk, considered to be one of the seven founder saints of Brittany.
Life
Tudwal was said to be the son of Hoel Mawr (Hoe ...
: one of the
seven founding saints of Brittany
* Sainte Scaeva
* Saint Lenorius
Breton legacy
*
Langoat: Saint Pompeia's Church in the shape of a Latin cross stands there. Inside is the shrine said to be of Saint Pompeia and bas-relief panels recounting her legend.
*
Sainte-Sève: Saint Scaeva's Church there contains a statue of Saint Pompeia; the name of the locality, Trébompé, probably stems from a corruption of the name Pompeia.
*
Valley of the Saints: A statue of Saint Pompeia sculpted by P. Le Guen and P. Leost in blue granite from Lanhelin, was erected in 2012.
*
Trézény: There is a stained glass window representing Saint Pompeia in the Saint Zény's Church.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pompeia of Langoat
Medieval Breton saints
6th-century rulers of Brittany
545 deaths