Monday is the feast of St Teilo, patron of our neighbouring parish. Saint Teilo, also known by his Cornish name Eliud, was a British Christian monk, bishop, and founder of monasteries and churches. He was born at Penally in Pembrokeshire around the year 500. He was the son of Saint Issel and uncle of Saints Ismael and Euddogwy. He was educated by the renowned Church leader and educator St Dyfrig, and by Paulinus of Wales, probably at Whitland. There he met and became a close companion of St David, and travelled to Mynyw (present St. Davids), where David founded his abbey. When St Dyfrig retired to a hermitage on Bardsey Island, Teilo succeeded him as Bishop of Llandaff. Here he founded the first church, headed a monastic school, and become bishop over present Glamorgan and Gwent.

In the 540s yellow plague affected Britain. In 549 Teilo, with a small group of monks, moved to Dol in Brittany. He is reported to have stayed in Brittany for seven years and seven months. They joined St Samson at Dol, and to this day the fruit groves they planted are known as the groves of Teilo and Samson. Legend has it that Teilo was asked by Budic II of Brittany to subdue a belligerent winged dragon, which he tamed and tied to a rock in the sea off Brittany.

He returned to his foundation at Llandeilo Fawr, where he died on 9 February, around 560. He became one of the most venerated men in Wales. His relics were said to lie in Llandaff Cathedral, though Llandeilo Fawr, and Penally Abbey also claimed to have them. His tomb in Llandaff lies to the right of the altar, but his skull is kept in the south chapel. It is stated that many miracles were witnessed there while he was alive and also later at his tomb.

At least 20 ancient churches in Wales, Brittany, and Cornwall and Devon are dedicated to him, as are several modern parishes and schools, while there are three villages in Brittany named Landelau, Landêliau and Saint-Thélo after him.

Fr Matthew