January 29 - St. Gildas the Wise
Born: around 450-500 AD (date disputed)
Died: 570 in Rhuys, Brittany
Nationality: British
Vocation: Monk
Patronage: Several Churches and Monasteries in Brittany
Canonization: Pre-congregation
St. Gildas was born to a British noble family while in Scotland. He studied in Wales in the company of many other now-canonized saints. After this stage of his education was completed, he moved to Ireland to join the priesthood. Once ordained it is said that he moved back to the North of Britain where he performed many miracles. The king of Ireland invited him back, so St. Gildas once again made the journey to Ireland. After building monasteries and doing much work that influenced the lives of many, including well-known writings that had a great influence on the Catholic Church, he sought a life of solitude.
St. Gildas spent much of his time in prayer and studying on the Island of Houat. However, once his place of solitude was made known, people sought him out. He established a monastery on the mainland where he lived out the rest of his days. During this time, he wrote one of his most famous writings, the Epistle to the British Kings, critiquing their morals.
There are two different recorded accounts of St. Gildas’ life, written by two authors in two countries multiple centuries after St. GIldas died. Due to the discrepancies in the manuscripts, many details of St. Gildas’ life remains unconfirmed. However, between the two accounts, the major events of St. Gildas’ life are known.
St. Gildas the Wise, pray for us.