Saint Cadfan
Saint Cadfan (also Catamanus; died c. 6th century AD) was a Welsh Celtic abbot who founded the monastery on Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli) off the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, Wales. He came from Brittany as part of the wave of Celtic missionaries who crossed between Wales and Armorica in the fifth and sixth centuries. Bardsey Island, where he established his monastery, became one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in medieval Wales — three pilgrimages to Bardsey being considered the equivalent of one to Rome. His feast day is November 1.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Cadfan
| Saint Cadfan | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | November 01 |
| Profession | Celtic abbot; missionary; monastic founder |
| Rel. Affiliation | Celtic Church; Gwynedd |
| Patronage | Bardsey Island; Tywyn; Llŷn Peninsula pilgrims |
| Attributes | Abbot's staff; island monastery; Celtic cross |
| Birthplace | Brittany, France (traditional origin) |
| Death Place | Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli), Gwynedd, Wales |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes |
| Primary Shrine | Bardsey Island, Gwynedd, Wales — "the Isle of 20,000 Saints" |
| Liturgical Class | Not included (universal calendar) |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Saint Cadfan came from Brittany around the late fifth century, part of the Celtic missionary movement between Armorica and Britain. He landed in Wales and founded the monastery at Tywyn (Towyn) on Cardigan Bay before moving further north to establish a monastic community on Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli), the remote island off the tip of the Llŷn Peninsula. The monastery at Bardsey became a great center of pilgrimage in medieval Wales. Bardsey became known as "the Isle of 20,000 Saints" because of the thousands of monks, pilgrims, and holy people believed to be buried there, and three pilgrimages to Bardsey were canonically equated with one pilgrimage to Rome. Cadfan died on the island in the sixth century and is commemorated on November 1.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Brittany, France (traditional origin)
Death location: Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli), Gwynedd, Wales
Notable location: The monastery he founded; became one of the greatest pilgrimage sites in medieval Wales — "the Isle of 20,000 Saints" (Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli), Gwynedd, Wales)
Notable location: He founded a church and monastery at Tywyn; the town was a major center of his cult (Tywyn (Towyn), Gwynedd, Wales)
Notable location: Village bearing his name; one of several foundations attributed to him across Wales (Llangadfan, Powys, Wales)
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Parishes
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Media
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli), Gwynedd — the monastery he founded; a pilgrimage site known as the Isle of 20,000 Saints.
- St Cadfan's Church, Tywyn, Gwynedd — possesses the Cadfan Stone, one of the oldest inscribed stones in Wales (c. 7th century).
Feast day
November 1
Veneration
Saint Cadfan is venerated in Wales with a feast day on November 1. He is particularly honored on Bardsey Island and at Tywyn.
Prayers
Authored
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Intercessory
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