Subj : July 7th - St. Illtud, Abbot To : All From : rich Date : Thu Jul 06 2017 10:03:45 From: rich July 7th - St. Illtud, Abbot (also known as Illtyd, Iltut, Illtut) Died c. 505 (another source says 450-535). Illtud, clearly an outstanding figure and one of the most celebrated Welsh saints, laboured chiefly in the southeastern part of the country. His vita written circa 1140 has little historical value; but the Life of Saint Samson, composed about 500 years earlier, has some important references. This author names him as a disciple of Saint Germanus of Auxerre, who ordained him. It calls Illtud 'the most learned of the Britons in both Testaments and in all kinds of knowledge,' and speaks of his great monastic school. This establishment was Llanilltyd Fawr (Llantwit Major in Glamorgan), where other prominent saints besides Samson are said to have been Illtyd's pupils. The monastery of Llantwit survived in one form or another until the Norman conquest (1066). The author of Samson's Life also describes Illtud's death, in illustration of the saint's power of prophecy. The passage is an impressive one, but it does not state where or when the death took place. Nevertheless, most of his life is derived mainly from oral traditions. According to them, he was the son of a Briton living in Letavia, Brittany (some scholars believe Letavia is an area in central Brednock, England, rather than in Brittany), who came to visit his cousin King Arthur of England about 470. The later vita says that Illtud married Trynihid and then served in the army of a Glamorgan chieftain. When one of his friends was killed in a hunting accident, Saint Cadoc is said to have counselled him to leave the world behind. This is, of course, improbable because Cadoc would have been a mere lad. Illtud and Trynihid took Cadoc's advice and lived together as recluses in a hut by the Nadafan River until he was warned by an angel to separate from her. He left his wife to become a monk under Saint Dubricius, but after a time resumed his eremitical life by a stream called the Hodnant. He attracted many disciples and organised them into the Llanwit Major monastery, which, according to the ninth-century Life of Saint Paul Aurelian, was originally "within the borders of Dyfed, called Pyr," usually identified as Calder (Caldey) Island off Tenby. The monastery soon developed into a great foundation and a centre of missionary activity in Wales. Many miracles were attributed to him (he was fed by heaven when forced to flee the ire of a local chieftain and take refuge in a cave; he miraculously restored a collapsed seawall), and he is reputed to have sent or taken grain to relieve a famine in Brittany, where the place and church names attest to some connection with Illtud. His death is reported at Dol, Brittany, where he had retired in his old age, at Llanwit, and at Defynock. One Welsh tradition has him as one of the three knights put in charge of the Holy Grail by Arthur, and another one even identifies him as Galahad (Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney, Doble, Walsh). The legendary place of his burial is close by the chapel dedicated to him in Brecknockshire, and is called Bedd Gwyl Illtyd, or the "grave of St. Illtyd's eve", the old custom of having been to keep vigil there on the eve of his feast, which was celebrated 7 February. There is still to be seen in Llantwit Major a cross, probably on the ninth century, bearing the inscription: SAMSON POSUIT HANC CRUCEM PRO ANIMA EIUS ILITET SAMSON REGIS SAMUEL ERISAR. Troparion of St Illtyd tone 6 O wise Illtyd, thou wast noble by birth and noble in mind/ and didst train many saints in the way of holiness./ Pray to Christ our God to raise up saints in our days/ to His glory and for our salvation. Saint Quote: "Watch yourself when a poor man, needing help, asks it of you. The enemy will endeavour at that time to chill your heart, and fill it with indifference, and even scorn, towards him that is in want. Overcome in yourself these un-Christian and inhuman dispositions...." --St. John of Kronstadt. Bible Quote: "Then the dragon was enraged with the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, who obey God's commandments and have in themselves the witness of Jesus." Revelation 12:17: <><><><> The Church is a garden extending over the whole world Christ became all things in order to restore all of us in himself. The man Christ received the mustard seed which represents the kingdom of God; as man he received it, though as God he had always possessed it. He sowed it in his garden, that is in his bride, the Church. The Church is a garden extending over the whole world, tilled by the plough of the gospel, fenced in by stakes of doctrine and discipline, cleared of every harmful weed by the labor of the apostles, fragrant and lovely with perennial flowers: virgins' lilies and martyrs' roses, set amid the pleasant verdure of all who bear witness to Christ and the tender plants of all who have faith in him. Such then is the mustard seed which Christ sowed in his garden. When he promised a kingdom to the patriarchs the seed took root in them; with the prophets it sprang up, with the apostles it grew tall, in the Church it became a great tree putting forth innumerable branches laden with gifts. And now you too must take the wings of the psalmist's dove, gleaming gold in the rays of divine sunlight, and fly to reap for ever among those sturdy, fruitful branches. No snares are set to trap you there; fly off, then, with confidence and dwell securely in its shelter. --Peter Chrysologus--July 30 --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 # Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) * Origin: Region 15 HQ (1:15/0) .