Saint Tathana was a 5th-century
saint
In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...
of
South Wales
South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...
.
Very little is known of her actual life. She was born c.465
AD and she was the granddaughter of
Meuric ap Tewdric of
Trebeferad. She lived a humble life as a
virgin and
hermit in a mud hut on the
River Thaw, and was associated with the monastic school of
Llantwit Major
Llantwit Major ( cy, Llanilltud Fawr) is a town and community in Wales on the Bristol Channel coast. It is one of four towns in the Vale of Glamorgan, with the third largest population (13,366 in 2001) after Barry and Penarth, and ahead of Cowb ...
where she was buried.
There is a tradition that the village of
St Athan in the
Vale of Glamorgan is named after Tathana, however it is thought that the male Saint
Tathan
Saint Tathan (also known as Tatheus) is claimed to be a fifth or sixth century Celtic saint, who travelled from Ireland to Wales where he founded a Christian church. He is reckoned an early abbot of CaerwentHando, F.J., (1958) "Out and About i ...
is more probable.
The
parish church is dedicated to Tathan.
References
Female saints of medieval Wales
5th-century Christian saints
5th-century births
Year of birth unknown
Year of death unknown
Welsh hermits
5th-century Welsh people
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