Sculpture de Saint-Cado sur l'île de Saint-Cado sur la rivière d'Étel dans le Morbihan Bretagne (France). Photographie personnelle de Fred.th
Saint Cadoc
Moine gallois (VIème
s.)
Moine gallois, il fonda
de nombreux monastères, en particulier celui de Llandcarvan dans la région de
Cardiff, qui fut une pépinière de saints. Il vint en Bretagne et vécut avec saint Gildas dans
une île du golfe du Morbihan. De retour dans son pays, il protégea ses
compatriotes bretons contre les envahisseurs saxons, ce qui lui valut d'être
assassiné par eux. Les Gallois vénèrent ce saint évêque comme un martyr. Il est
aussi très populaire en Bretagne où de nombreuses chapelles lui sont dédiées,
neuf dans le Finistère, sept dans les Côtes d'Armor et cinq dans le Morbihan.
Il est aussi nommé
Cadfan, Kadvaël ou Kadvoz. Un "pardon" le célèbre le 21 septembre à
Gouesnach dans le Finistère.
saint
Cado (Cadou) fêté le 22 septembre au diocèse de Quimper: "Il
n'est pas impossible que notre saint Cado soit le célèbre fondateur de l'abbaye
de Llan-carvan au Pays de Galles (+ vers 577). Quoi qu'il en soit, celui que
nous honorons en Bretagne fut ermite à l'Ile Cado (Morbihan). Sa vie en fait un
grand pèlerin. Il est traditionnellement le patron des lutteurs."
Voir aussi "l'ère
des saints": de 600 à 800 environ site
du diocèse de Vannes.
St
Cadoc's catholic church, une église sous son patronage à Glasgow (site
en anglais)
St
Cadoc's church, Llancarfan près de Cardiff (site en anglais)
Au monastère de
Llancarvan au pays de Galles, au VIe siècle, saint Cadoc, abbé, sous le nom de
qui plusieurs monastères ont été établis dans ce pays, mais aussi en
Cornouailles et en Bretagne.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/5282/Saint-Cadoc.html
Statue de Saint Cadou du retable du maître-autel de l'église de Saint-Cadou (Sizun)
CADO (saint)
VIe siècle Saint-Guy
en Belz
Ermite
Ermite dans l'île de la
rivière d'Etel à laquelle il a laissé son nom, Cadou a été confondu au Moyen
Age avec le saint gallois Cadoc. Ce dernier était le fils d'un roi de Glamorgan
et le fondateur de l'abbaye de Llancarfan, au pays de Galles. Ses Vies fabuleuses
le présentent comme un grand voyageur qui se serait rendu en pèlerinage à Rome
et à Jérusalem. Il serait mort martyr à la tête de l'évêché de Bénévent
(Italie). Selon l'une de ces Vies, Cadoc serait passé en Bretagne au
cours de ses pérégrinations et y aurait édifié une église sur un îlot désert.
Mais un ange lui aurait enjoint de rentrer à Llancarfan. Les moines qu'il a
laissés dans son prieuré breton se désolent de voir tomber en ruine le pont que
leur maître avait construit. Mais, trois jours plus tard, ce pont est
miraculeusement restauré, encore plus beau qu'avant. Saint Cado est invoqué
contre la surdité dans les chapelles qui lui sont dédiées en Bretagne. Par
contre, aucune pratique analogue n'est attestée au pays de Galles. (BM et SAH).
• Villes : Vannes,
Houat, Belz, Etel. (7 rues).
SOURCE : http://www.skoluhelarvro.net/bases/noms/noms_biographie.php?no=213
Statue de Saint Cadou au fronton de l'église paroissiale de Saint-Cadou (Sizun)
La vie des saints de la
Bretagne Armorique
1901
LES VIES DES SAINTS
DONT LES FESTES ESCHEENT AU MOIS DE NOVEMBRE.
LA VIE DE SAINT CADO OU
CADOUD,
Évesque et Martyr, le 1. jour de Novembre.
Saint Cado[1] estoit
natif de la grande Bretagne & fut fils d’un Prince, qui regnoit en un
canton de ladite Isle, lequel s’appelloit Guillenus, descendu de la race
du Grand Constantin, & sa mere se nommoit Gudalusa, fille de Brahanus,
Roy d’une partie d’Irlande[2].
Il nasquit environ l’an 522. sous le Pape saint Hormisda, l’Empereur Justin
premier, & le Roy de Bretagne Armorique Hoel II, de ce nom. Ses parens
furent avertis, par un saint Hermite, nommé Menechesias, de le faire
Baptiser ; ce qu’ils firent, quoy qu’eux-mesmes fussent payens &
Idolâtres. Estant en âge de monter à cheval, son pere ayant declaré la guerre à
un autre Prince, son voisin, voulut donner la conduite de son armée au Prince
Cado, lequel, desirant combattre sous le drapeau de la Croix de Jesus-Christ,
sortit en habit déguisé, du palais de son pere, & par chemins écartez, se
retira en un desert, où il se soumit à la direction & obedience d’un saint
Hermite & demeura douze ans en sa compagnie, vivant de pain & d’eau
& de quelques legumes, avec un rare exemple de Sainteté.
II. Un jour, l’Hermite,
son maistre, l’envoya querir du feu chez quelques bergers qui se retiroient en
une caverne prés l’Hermitage, lesquels, se moquans de luy, ne luy en voulurent
donner, qu’il ne leur promit de le porter en son sein, jusqu’à son Hermitage;
saint Cado y consentit ; &, ayant fait sa priere, il prit de gros
charbons ardens, & les mit en son sein & les porta à son maistre, sans
que son habit ny sa peau en fussent offensez[3] ;
ce que ces pasteurs ayans veu, ils luy demanderent pardon, & son maistre
commença desormais à le regarder, non plus comme son disciple, mais comme un
grand amy & serviteur de Dieu. Le maistre pasteur des troupeaux d’un grand
Seigneur, nommé Polentus, voisin de l’Hermitage de saint Cado, le querela
une fois, & le voulut percer de sa Lance ; mais Dieu le punit sur le
champ, car il devint aveugle & perclus de ses bras, &, s’étant repenty
de sa faute & ayant demandé pardon au Saint, il fut guery par ses
prieres ; ce que le Prince Polentus ayant ouy, il donna au Saint
une terre, nommée Sobrin, pour y édifier un Monastere, ce qu’il fit en peu
de temps ; & un des ouvriers qui travailloient à l’édifice ayant est
tué par ses compagnons & jetté dans un estang, le Saint par sa priere, fit
paroistre ! e corps mort à fleur d’eau & le ressuscita.
III. Ayant peuplé son
Monastere de Sobrin, il alla en voyage à S. André en Escosse, où il
ressuscita un mort, & fit de grandes conversions par ses ferventes
Predications, puis passa la mer, traversa la Bretagne Armorique, & alla
trouver S. Goüard & S. Liliau en Aquitaine, & de là s’alla embarquer à
Marseille pour aller en la Palestine, où il visita, avec une grande devotion,
les SS. Lieux, & puis s’en retourna à Rome, où il baisa les pieds du Pape
S. Jean III. du nom, & de là s’en revint en son Monastere l’an 562,
ayant passé sept années en ses voyages. Il avoit de coûtume de se retirer le
Caresme, en une isle dans la mer, nommée Enes Barren, pour y estre plus
solitaire & éloigné de la conversation des hommes, &, à Pasques, il
s’en retournoit en son Monastere, pour solemniser la Feste en la compagnie de
ses Religieux, lesquels estans multipliez en nombre, il fonda un autre
Monastere, plus ample & spacieux, & l’appella Land-Carvanan, c’est
à dire, Eglise des Cerfs, à cause qu’il se servit de cerfs de la prochaine
forest, pour charroyer les pierres & autres materiaux necessaires pour
l’édifice dudit Monastere, rendant ces animaux aussi familiers, privez &
domestiques, que si c’eussent esté des chevaux, & n’en tirant pas moins de
service.
IV. Il fut deux ans Abbé
de ce nouveau Monastere, jusqu’à l’an 564, qu’ayant choisi un petit nombre de
ses Religieux, il passa la mer & vint mouiller l’ancre à la coste de la
Bretagne-Armorique, à Vennes, & s’habitua en une petite isle, qu’on nomme à
present Enes-Cadvod, en la Paroisse de Belz, laquelle isle estoit remplie
de serpens ; mais le Saint l’en purgea par ses prieres, et tient-on que,
depuis, il ne s’y en trouve point[4].
Il y édifia un petit Monastere ; &, voyant que le peuple du pays
circonvoisin l’y venoit visiter, il bâtit un beau pont sur le bras de mer qui
est entre ladite isle & la terre ferme, joignant l’embouchure de la
riviere Estell, lequel ayant est démoly, fut par luy refait encore une
autre fois. Il vescut en ce lieu, avec un rare exemple de Sainteté, jusqu’à
l’an 567, que par commandement de Dieu, il quitta la Bretagne, &, ayant
voyagé par la France, passa les monts & arriva en Italie, où il s’arresta,
quelque temps, en la ville de Benevent, dont l’Evesque estant mort, il fut éleu
pour son Successeur, &, à son Sacre, fur nommé Sophias.
V. Estant élevé à cette
Dignité, il veilloit soigneusement sur son troupeau, lequel il gouverna jusques
environ l’an cinq cens septante, qu’estant, une nuit, au plus fort de son
Oraison, un Ange luy apparut & luy donna l’option de quel genre de mort il
vouloit terminer sa vie ; alors, le saint Prélat, jettant amoureusement
les yeux sur l’image du Crucifix, répondit : « Puisque mon Sauveur
est mort pour moy en Croix, je desirerois (si telle estoit sa Volonté) avoir
l’honneur de répandre mon sang pour luy. » A quoy l’Ange repartit :
« Réjouis-toy, serviteur de Dieu, d’autant que ton desir sera
accomply ; demain, tu passeras de cette vie miserable à la gloire
perdurable & recevras la Couronne de Martyre. » Cela dit, l’Ange
disparut. Saint Cado se leva de son Oraison, recita la revelation qu’il avoit
euë à quelques uns de ses plus familiers, se disposa à dire la Messe, pendant
laquelle la ville fut surprise par une armée de Barbares lesquels, entrans
de furie dans l’Eglise, mirent tout au fil de l’épée & tuerent ce saint
Prélat à l’Autel, luy ayans transpercé le corps d’un coup de lance. L’ennemy
s’estant retiré, ceux qui s’estoient sauvez du massacre recueillirent le saint
Corps, l’ensevelirent en son Eglise, &, depuis, ses Ossemens furent levez
de terre & mis en une Chasse d’argent. Dieu a manifesté la gloire de ce
saint Prélat par une infinité de miracles, qui se sont faits, tant à son
Sepulchre, qu’és lieux où il a demeuré és deux Bretagnes, lesquelles furent, depuis,
honorées de quelque portion de ses Reliques qu’un Religieux de son Monastere
de Land-Carvanan y apporta, nonobstant les précautions que les
Beneventins y pûrent apporter, lesquels, craignans d’estre privez de ce
precieux thresor, ne permettoient l’entrée de son Eglise à aucun Breton.
Cette Vie a esté par nous
recueillie du Proprium Sanctorum du Diocese de Vennes, qui en fait
Office le vingt et unième septembre ; Nicolas Harpifeldius, Archidiacre de
Cantorberi, en son Histoire Ecclesiastique d’Anglelerre, imprimée à Doüay, l’an
mil six cens vingt et deux, és Chapitres vingt-cinq et vingt-sept ; les
anciens Legendaires manuscrits de l’Abbaye de Sainte Croix de Kemperlé, les
Memoires manuscrits du Pere da Pas, et des Sieurs de la Coudraye Pere et Fils, Seneschaux
de Hennebont et Alloüez de la Ville de Vennes.
Statue de Saint Cadou exposée dans l'ossuaire de Sizun. Elle provient d'une chapelle désaffectée à l'entour (peut-être Loc-Ildut)
ANNOTATIONS.
SAINT CADO EN ARMORIQUE & EN ITALIE (A.-M. T.).
Pendant que saint Gildas habitait l’austère et pittoresque ermitage appelé
dans son histoire « l’oratoire de la Roche sur Blavet » il vit arriver
et s’installer à huit lieues de lui un saint des plus connus de la
Grande-Bretagne, l’un de ses collaborateurs les plus assidus dans ses grandes
missions d’Irlande, l’ami dont le monastère avait été, dans l’ile de Bretagne,
son asile ordinaire et le principal siège de son enseignement. C’est en effet
à Lancarvan ou Nant-Garban, où son ami était alors abbé, qu’il
avait écrit la première partie de son livre De Excidio Britaniæ (la
ruine de la Betagne).
Cet ami, c’était saint
Cado, une des figures les plus originales de l’église britannique au VIe siècle.
La Vie la plus ancienne qu’on ait de lui, écrite cinq siècles plus tard, est si
défigurée qu’à peine y peut-on reconnaitre les grandes lignes de son rôle et de
sa physionomie. L’un de ses traits caractéristiques, ce sont ses nombreux
voyages ; il parcourt tous les coins de l’ile de Bretagne et de l’Irlande,
visite la Gaule, l’Italie et Rome, même (à en croire sa légende) la Grèce et
Jérusalem. Il devait bien une visite en Armorique à son ami Gildas, qui en Grande-Bretagne
lui avait fait présent d’un texte des Evangiles écrit de sa main et d’une belle
cloche doux-sonnante, fondue de sa main également, car Gildas était très bon et
très expert ouvrier en l’art métallique[5].
Ce fut au retour d’un de
ses voyages d’Italie qu’il vint aborder dans son ilot du Morbihan ; il
débarqua avec ses disciples et dit :
— Avec l’aide de Dieu et
sous votre bon plaisir, mes frères, c’est ici que je veux demeurer.
— Maître, tout ce qui
vous plaira nous agrée.
Et promptement ils
installèrent là un petit monastère. Ce qui rendit cette fondation notable, ce
fut l’église, élégante construction de pierre et surtout le pont, aussi en
pierre, par lequel Cado unit l’ile à la terre ferme[6]. Combien
de temps demeura-t-il dans ce lieu où son souvenir est resté si vivant ? —
Nul ne saurait le dire.
Y vécut-il toujours
désormais ? — Revint-il séjourner sur le continent ?
— Ici deux opinions sont
en présence : d’après la légende latine, après avoir fondé Lancarvan et
plusieurs autres monastères dans la Grande-Bretagne, il se rendit à Bénévent en
Italie, y remplit d’abord les fonctions abbatiales, fut ensuite promu à la
dignité épiscopale et finalement y cueillit la palme du martyre. « Mais,
ajoute dom Plaine, tout cela a paru si invraisemblable depuis trois siècles à
la plupart des hagiographes, qu’un certain nombre d’entre eux en sont venus à
supposer qu’il s’agissait de la ville de Benavenne (Benaventa aujourd’hui
Woedon, dans le comté de Northampton) en Angleterre. Parfois même on a dédoublé
le saint en prétendant que le fondateur de Lancarvan n’avait rien de commun
avec l’évêque-martyr de Bénévent. Le docte bénédictin démontre qu’il est
impossible que le saint évêque ait été martyrisé en Angleterre, puis il
établit, d’après les traditions des contrées qui ont connu saint Cado : la
Cambrie, l’Armorique, et Bénévent[7],
que « jusqu’au XVe siècle ces trois pays paraissent avoir été
unanimes à affirmer : 1o que S. Cado-Sophius avait eu pour père un
roi du pays de Galles ; 2o qu’il avait fait trois fois le pèlerinage
de Jérusalem et sept fois celui de Rome ; 3o qu’il était mort à
Bénévent percé d’une lance pendant qu’il célébrait la messe. Or, de pareils
faits sont manifestement des plus caractéristiques. Le second en particulier
n’appartient qu’à notre saint, et suffirait seul pour empêcher qu’on ne le
confondit avec un autre saint. Il faut donc accepter ces données
traditionnelles comme étant l’expression de la vérité historique.
Mais quand et comment le
saint évêque subit-il le martyre ? — Dom Plaine regarde comme certain
qu’il reçut la mort lorsque le roi arien Totila « prit Bénévent d’assaut
en novembre 542, en rasa les murailles, et y commit maints excès de tout genre,
comme il ressort des vifs reproches que lui adressa saint Benoit, lorsque ce roi
barbare vint le visiter pendant son séjour à Bénévent qui est tout proche du
mont Cassin. »
Statue
de Saint Cado dans la chapelle éponyme de Belz
LE CULTE DE SAINT CADO EN BRETAGNE (A.-M. T.).
Pas de saint plus populaire ; pas de saint plus négligé par la
liturgie. Le propre de Vannes lui concède une simple leçon et une
commémoration ; le propre de Quimper ne fait même pas mention du
saint évêque martyr, aussi vénéré en Cornouaille et en Léon qu’au pays du
Morbihan.
Il est patron de
Saint-Cadou (doyenné de Sizun, diocèse de Quimper);
De Saint-Cast (près Dinan,
diocèse de Saint-Brieuc).
Jusqu’au Concordat de
1801, il a été patron de la paroisse de Cadélac, dont l’église devenue
chapelle, dans la paroisse de Loudéac, a péri dans un incendie en 1803.
Dom Plaine dit que
peut-être la paroisse de Cast (doyenné de Chateaulin, diocèse de Quimper), a
été originairement sous le patronage de saint Cado, mais le nom de Cast vient
de l’ancien nom latin de cette localité : Castrum.
Je connais peu de
chapelles dédiées à saint Cado. Après avoir naturellement cité tout d’abord
Belz, l’ancienne église priorale dépendante de l’abbaye de Sainte-Croix de
Quimperlé, depuis qu’Alain Fergent la lui eut donne en 1089, aujourd’hui simple
chapelle, mais toujours entourée de vénération ; dom Plaine indique encore
la chapelle de N.-D. de Clérin, en Saint-Clet (diocèse de Saint-Brieuc) ;
saint Cado n’y est que second patron, mais beaucoup de pélerins y viennent se
recommander à lui pour la guérison des maladies d’yeux. En Guégon (diocèse de
Vannes), une chapelle de saint Cado est mentionnée par le répertoire
archéologique de N. Rosenzsweig. Dom Plaine ne parle pas de la chapelle de
Saint-Cadou en Gouesnac’h ; elle est placée dans un endroit charmant, au
fond d’une anse formée par l’Odet (rivière de Quimper), à peu de distance de son
embouchure. Il y a trente ans, cette chapelle possédait un lambris enrichi de
très curieuses peintures représentant des scènes de la vie de saint Cado. Sous
le prétexte que le pardon y amenait certains abus, on le supprima ; la
chapelle abandonnée fut bientôt une ruine et un jour la toiture s’écroula,
entraînant dans sa chute le lambris avec ses belles peintures. La chapelle a
été restaurée, le pardon rétabli, et avec lui les luttes des jeunes
paysans ; puisqu’elles ont reparu, ce n’était donc guère la peine de livrer
à la destruction l’ancienne chapelle ; il aurait suffi d’empêcher les
braves lutteurs du beau pays de Fouesnant de changer leurs honnêtes amusements
en scènes de sauvagerie.
En Melgven (doyenné de
Bannalec, diocèse de Quimper) la chapelle de Coatampodou dédiée à saint Cado
relevait jusqu’au Concordat de 1801 de la paroisse de Cadol qui probablement
tirait elle-même son nom du nom de l’évêque martyr. Autre chapelle à Moëlan.
On trouve des statues de
saint Cado dans les églises et chapelles désignes plus haut, et en outre &
Kerpert (XIe siècle), Saint-Michel-en-Grève, Plestin, Ploumiliau (diocèse
de Saint-Brieuc) ; Plouarnel-Quiberon (diocèse de Vannes) ; à
Landrévarzec, dans la chapelle de N.-D. de Quilinen (XVe ou XVIe siècle),
Plogonnec, église paroissiale (statue de la même époque) ; Redené,
chapelle du château de Rosgrand ; église de Leuhan et une belle peinture
sur le lambris de l’église du Bodeo, enfin, dom Plaine cite une dernière
statue, mais qui n’existe plus dans la nouvelle église de Moëlan (diocèse de
Quimper).
Une disparition
regrettable, c’est celle des deux crosses en bois, de saint Cado, naguère
exposées dans la chapelle de Rosgrand où je les ai vues plusieurs fois.
Le nom de Saint-Cadou a
été donné a une anse située près de Carnoet, sur la Léta, rivière de Quimperlé.
SAINT CADO & LES CHEVALIERS BRETONS DU COMBAT DES TRENTE (A.-M. T.).
D’aprés le Barzaz-Breiz, voici ce qu’ils chantaient en marchant
contre les Anglais :
Seigneur saint Kadok, notre patron, donnez-nous force et courage, afin qu’aujourd’hui nous vainquions les ennemis de la Bretagne.
Si nous revenons du combat, nous vous ferons présent d’une ceinture, et d’une cotte d’or, et d’une épée, et d’un manteau bleu comme le ciel ;
Et tout le monde dira en vous regardant, ö seigneur saint Kadok béni :
« Au paradis comme sur terre, saint Kadok n’a pas son pareil ! »
Après avoir cité ces
strophes, expression de la confiance, M. de la Villemarqué ajoute :
«Vainqueurs dans ce combat fameux où Beaumanoir buvait son sang, les chevaliers bretons acquittèrent fidèlement leur vœu :
Il n’eût pas été l’ami des Bretons, celui qui n’eût point poussé des cris de joie en voyant revenir nos guerriers, des fleurs de genêt a leurs casques ;
Il n’eût pas été l’ami des Bretons ni des saints de Bretagne non plus, celui qui n’eût pas béni saint Kadok, patron des guerriers du pays;
Celui qui n’eût point admiré, qui n’eût point applaudi, qui n’eût point béni et
qui n’eût point chanté : « Au paradis comme sur terre, saint Kadok n’a pas son
pareil. »
D’après ce que j’ai dit
plus haut, on peut voir que le protecteur des vaillants chevaliers d’autrefois
est invoqué aujourd’hui par les lutteurs de nos pardons ; on lui demande
aussi, non seulement la rigueur et la souplesse dans les membres, mais la
pureté dans le sang. V. r S.
MONUMENTS DE SAINT CADO (J.-M. A.). PONT ET LE MONASTÈRE.
Il existe encore le pont bâti par saint Cado pour rejoindre à la terre
l’ile qu’il avait choisie pour résidence dans la rivire d’Etel. Il est long de
cent mètres, large de quatre, et compte seulement deux arches qui étonnent par
leur hardiesse et les dimensions des énormes blocs de granit qui les composent.
Il faut que la solidité en soit à toute épreuve puisque l’administration des
Ponts-et-Chausses ne lui a pas cherché noise et continue faire passer là-dessus
la grande route allant de Port-Louis à Belz et à Auray.
Le monastère en 1089
devint prieur dépendant de Sainte-Croix de Quimperlé, par une donation du duc
Alain Fergent. La chapelle actuelle remonte presque entièrement au XIe siècle,
se divisant en trois nefs trois travées avec abside demi-circulaire. Les
arcades en plein-cintre reposent sur des piliers carrés à simples tailloirs,
l’arc triomphal tombe sur des colonnes engagées à chapiteaux garnis de
feuillages et d’entrelacs.
Aux parois de la nef sont
appendus quatre tableaux représentant des scènes de la vie du saint, et qui
sont surtout précieux par les légendes qui en expliquent les sujets :
Anglais de naissance,
prince de Clamorgant,
Puis abbé, vient, débarque et réside céans.
Les jugements de Dieu sans cesse méditant,
C’est ainsi, pèlerins, qu’il a vécu céans.
Aux pirates pervers en ce lieu l’assaillant
Il dit : Je suis sans bien, solitaire céans.
Oratoire, mon œuvre, adieu ! dit-il pleurant,
Belz, t’oublierai-je? Non. Il cingla de céans.
Au chevet de l’église est
la fontaine du saint, et plus loin les derniers vestiges du vieux monastère
qu’on nomme la maison de saint Cado[8].
↑ Ce nom a des formes nombreuses et fort
differentes : Cado, Cadou, Cadoe, Cast, en gallois Cuttwg ; en latin
Cadocus, Catuodus, Catmaglus. Le surnom du saint, Sophius ou Sophias qui lui
fut donné en Italie signifie le Sage.
↑ Saint Cado était proche parent de trois
saintes qui avaient débarque avant lui en Armorique pour s’y établir :
sainte Ninnoc à Ploemeur, sainte Guen-Candide a Scaer et sainte Nonne-Melarie a
Dirinon (Dom Plaine),
↑ Voyez chose semblable en la vie de St.
Malo cy-dessous, le 15 decembre, art. 5. — A.
↑ Voyez chose semblable cy-dessous en la vie
de St. Maudez, le 18 novembre. — A.
↑ Voyez sur cette cloche et sur les œuvres
de Virgile chères à saint Cado, au charmant récit dans « La
légende celtique et la poesie des Cloitres en Irlande, en Cambrie et en
Bretagne, » par le Vicomte Hersart de la Villemarqué, p.
201-204.
↑ Ce qui précède est de M. de la
Borderie ; ce qui suit est un résumé d’une étude de dom Plaine (Bulletin
de la Société Archéologique du Finistère, tome XXVII, 1900, p. 106-132).
↑ Pour la Cambrie, il invoque la tradition
immémoriale consignée dans Jean de Tinemouth et dans Capgrave pour l’Armorique
les légendaires de Vannes et de Sainte-Croix de Quimperlé ; pour l’Eglise
de Bénévent, Ghinius et Vipers.
↑ Chanoine Guilloton de Corson : Récits
de Bretagne, 1resérie, p. 256.
Albert Le Grand, La vie de saint
Cado ou Cadoud, " Les vies des saints de la Bretagne Armorique :
ensemble un ample catalogue chronologique et historique des evesques
d'icelle... et le catalogue de la pluspart des abbés, blazons de leurs armes et
autres curieuses recherches", 5e édition, 1901, consultable https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5038760/f589.image.r=gouesnach [archive]
SOURCE : https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/La_Vie_de_saint_Cado
Vitrail
représentant Saint Catwg dans l'église Saint Martin de Caerphilly au Pays
de Galles.
St
Catwg in stained Glass, from St Martin's parish church, Caerphilly. The window
dates from 1953
Also
known as
Cadoc of Wales
Cadoc the Wise
Cadocus…
Cadog…
Cadvaci…
Cadvael…
Cathmael…
Cattwg…
Docus…
Catrwg Ddoeth
25
September on some calendars
formerly 24
January
formerly 23
January
Profile
Son of Saint Gwynllyw,
a king in Wales,
a robber chieftain who led a band of 300; his mother, Saint Gladys,
had been stolen in a raid on a neighboring chief; brother of Saint Gluvias.
Raised by an Irish monk;
Cadoc’s father had
stolen the monk‘s cow,
and when he came to demand its return, the king decided
it was sign. Studied in Wales and Ireland. Priest.
Once chased through a
wood by an armed swineherd from
an enemy tribe. His hiding place spooked an old, gray, wild boar that made
three great leaps at him – then disappeared; Cadoc took this as a sign, and the
location became the site of the great church and monastery at
Llancarvan, Wales;
the house became renowned for the learning and holiness of its monks.
Legend says he once saved
his brother monks in
a famine by tying a white thread to the foot of a (well-fed) mouse; he then
following the thread to an abandoned, well-stocked, underground granary.
Another time he and his brothers went out to meet a band of thieves, chanting and playing harps; it
surprised the highwaymen so much, they turned and left.
Lived as a hermit with Saint Gildas on
the Island of Flatholmes off Vannes, Brittany.
Established a monastery on
a small island just off Brittany,
joined by a stone bridge so local children could
walk out for school.
Returned to Britain to evangelize, and work with Christian survivors
of Saxon raids. Martyr.
Born
killed by
Saxons c.580 while
serving at Mass near
Weedon, Northamptonshire, England
Additional
Information
Book
of Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Lives
of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
books
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
other
sites in english
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sitios
en español
Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
fonti
in italiano
MLA
Citation
“Saint Cadoc of
Llancarvan“. CatholicSaints.Info. 26 July 2020. Web. 24 March 2023.
<https://catholicsaints.info/saint-cadoc-of-llancarvan/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-cadoc-of-llancarvan/
Cadoc of Llancarvan BM
Died c. 580; feast day
was January 24. Cadoc was the son of a robber, one of the lesser kings of
Wales, who with an armed band of 300 men had stolen the daughter of a
neighboring chieftain for his wife. In this ugly episode 200 of his followers
perished, and out of this unpromising union was born Cadoc, the Welsh saint,
founder of the monastery of Llancarvan.
It is hardly credible
that form so wild and barbarous a background should have come such a gentle and
enlightened prince, but fortunately his erratic and impulsive father placed him
in the care of an Irish monk whose cow he had stolen and who had been bold
enough to demand its return. From this good man Cadoc learned the rudiments of
Latin, and after pursuing his studies in Ireland, preferred the life of a
priest to that of a prince.
Legends are told of how
one day in his poverty, during a famine, when he sat with his books in his
cell, a white mouse ran suddenly on to the table from a hole in the wall and
put down a grain of corn. Cadoc followed it and found in the cellar beneath him
an old Celtic subterranean granary stacked with grain. It is also said that
once he hid himself in a wood from an armed swineherd of an enemy tribe, and
there came a wild boar, white with age, who, disturbed by his presence, made
three fierce bounds in his direction and then disappeared. Cadoc marked the
spot with three tree branches, and it became the site of his great church and
abbey of Llancarvan. He himself took an active part in its building, and it
became a busy center of industry, "The best of patriots," he said,
"is he who tills the soil."
When, on one occasion, a
band of robbers came to pillage the monastery, Cadoc and his monks went out to
meet them with their harps, chanting as they went, and the marauders were so
surprised by their attitude and so enchanted by the music that they withdrew.
But the best story is that
of his parents' conversion. It was a happy day when by the river they made
public profession of their faith. The robber king had found his Savior, and
father and son together recited the Psalm: "The Lord hear thee in the day
of trouble."
Cadoc later took refuge
from the Anglo-Saxons in the Isle of Flatholmes, and then in Brittany, where he
established another monastery upon a small island to which he built a stone
bridge so that the children could cross to his school. Finally he returned to
Britain and, obeying his own maxim: "Would you find glory? March to the
grave," deliberately cut himself off from the shelter of his own monastery
of Llancarvan, and lived among the Saxon settlements to console the native
Christians who had survived the massacres of the pagan invaders. This was at
Weedon in Northamptonshire, and there he met with a martyr's death. While
celebrating Mass one day, the service was rudely disturbed by Saxon horsemen,
and Cadoc was slain as he served at the altar (Gill).
Ceolfrid, Abbot
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0925.shtml
January 24
St. Cadocus, or Cadoc,
Abbot in Wales
CADOC was son to
Gundleus, a prince of South Wales, by his wife Gladusa, daughter of Braghan,
whose name was given to the province now called Brecknockshire. His parents
were not less ennobled by their virtues than by their blood, and his father,
who some years before his death renouncing the world, led an eremitical life
near a country church, which he had built, was honoured in Wales amongst the
saints. Cadoc, who was his eldest son, succeeded in the government, but not
long after followed his father’s example; and embracing a religious life, put
himself under the direction of St. Tathai, an Irish monk, who had opened a
famous school at Gwent, the ancient Venta Silurum of the Romans, afterwards a
bishop’s see, now in ruins in Monmouthshire. Our saint made such progress both
in learning and virtue, that when he returned into Glanmorganshire, his own
country, he spread on every side the rays of his wisdom and sanctity. Here,
three miles from Cowbridge, he built a church and a monastery which was called
Llan-carvan, or the Church of Stags, and sometimes Nancarvan, that is, the Vale
of Stags. The school which he established in this place became most
illustrious, and fruitful in great and holy men. By our saint’s persuasion St.
Iltut renounced the court and the world, and learned at Llan-carvan that
science which he preferred to all worldly treasures. He afterwards founded the
great monastery of Llan-Iltut. These two monasteries and that of St. Docuinus,
all situated in the diocess of Landaff, were very famous for many ages, and
were often governed by abbots of great eminence. St. Gildas, after his return
from Ireland, entered the monastery of St. Cadoc, where he taught for one year,
and copied a book of the gospels which was long preserved with great care in
the church of St. Cadoc, and highly reverenced by the Welch, who used it in
their most solemn oaths and covenants. After spending there one year, St.
Gildas and St. Cadoc left Llan-carvan, being desirous to live in closer
retirement. They hid themselves first in the islands of Ronech and Echni. An
ancient life of St. Cadoc tells us, that he died at Benevenna, which is the
Roman name of a place now called Wedon, in Northamptonshire. Some moderns take
it for Benevento, in Italy, where they suppose him to have died. Chatelain
imagines this St. Cadoc to be the same who is honoured at Rennes, under the
name of Cado, or Caduad, and from whom a small island on the coast of Vennes is
called Enes-Caduad. St. Cadoc flourished in the beginning of the sixth century,
and was succeeded in the abbacy of Llan-carvan, by Ellenius, “an excellent
disciple of an excellent master,” says Leland. See the acts of St. Cadoc, in
Capgrave; Usher’s Antiquities, c. 13. p. 252. Chatelain’s Notes on the Martyr,
p. 399.
Rev. Alban Butler
(1711–73). Volume I: January. The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
Vitrail,
chapelle Saint-Cado, Fr-56-Ploemel.
Llancarvan
Llancarvan,
Glamorganshire, Wales,
was a college and monastery founded
apparently about the middle of the fifth century. Most Welsh writers
assign it to the period of St.
Germanus's visit to Britain in A.D. 447, stating further
that the first principal was St.
Dubric, or Dubricius, on whose elevation to
the episcopate St. Cadoc, or Cattwg, succeeded. On the other
hand the Life of St.
Germanus, written by Constantius, a priest of Lyons,
about fifty years after the death of the saint,
says nothing at all of any school founded
by him or under his auspices, in Britain, nor is mention made of his
presence in Wales.
The other tradition, supported by the ancient lives of St. Cadoc,
assigns the foundation of Llancarvan to that saint, which
would place it about a century later than the former date. As, however,
these lives confound two, or possibly three, saints of
the same name, nothing really certain can be gathered from them. In
the "Liber Landavensis" the Abbot of Llancarvan
appears not infrequently as a witness to
various grants, but none of these is earlier than the latter part of the sixth
century. The Abbot of Llancarvan
assisted at a council held at Llandaff in
560, which passed sentence of excommunication upon Meurig,
King of Glamorgan.
Huddleston,
Gilbert. "Llancarvan." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol.
9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 25 Sept.
2016 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09315b.htm>.
Transcription. This
article was transcribed for New Advent by Gerald M. Knight.
Ecclesiastical
approbation. Nihil Obstat. October 1, 1910. Remy Lafort,
Censor. Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Copyright © 2021 by Kevin Knight.
Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09315b.htm
_-_02.jpg)
Vitrail
de la Chapelle de Saint-Cado, Belz
Gwent Local History No.
50, Spring 1981
Saint Cadoc's Church,
Caerleon
by Eija Kennerley
A guide book to the church of St. Cadoc in Caerleon starts with the exposition
that "a place of Christian worship has existed on the site of the present
church for about eight hundred years." As the guide book probably was
written during the 1960s, the stretch of eight hundred years therefore takes us
back to the middle of the 12th century. The writer of the guide refers to the
apparently Norman type of an arch at the west end of the church, as the only
surviving feature of that period. The rest of the guide contains a lot of
legendary material on which a proper historical study could not rely, in spite
of the possibility that there may be grains of truth in it. Unfortunately,
legendary material forms also the main part of J. Bradney's account of the
church in his History of Monmouthshire.
The building itself does
not give many indications of its age. The last rebuilding in 1867 seems to have
been very thorough and removed almost all traces of the earlier nave and
chancel, except some 15th or early 16th century arches on the north side of the
nave. The tower is probably the only part left of the earlier church.
The usual assumption,
following from the fact that the church bears the name of St. Cadoc, is. that a
church must have existed on the site either in the saint's lifetime, the sixth
century, or soon after that. The church is built partially on the Roman
headquarters building, which fact strengthens the belief that there indeed is
an unbroken Christian tradition here. Quite often important Roman buildings became
Christian basilicas - so, why not here, too? However, there is so far no
archaeological evidence that any Christian worship existed in Caerleon in the
Roman period.
Professor E. G. Bowen
states that Caerleon was outside the cluster of Cadoc-dedications and that this
kind of single dedication had an association "with a Roman context."
This makes him conclude that Cadoc or Cadog "or one of his immediate
disciples made use of both the inland (northern) and the coastal (southern)
Roman roads leading to the westward."
Canon E. T. Davies points
out: "...although we speak of the dedication of our churches to particular
saints, it is almost certain that, in the case of our old foundations, there
was no formal dedication. These names should be thought of as commemorating
certain persons who had once a connection, oftentimes fleeting, with these
sites. They are, therefore, more in the nature of memorial churches than
buildings formally dedicated to a saint."
There is no
archaeological evidence of a Celtic or pre-Norman church at the site in
Caerleon, if one does not take the finding of a fragment of a Celtic cross in
the churchyard as such evidence. The fragment is too small to judge what size
the cross may have been. Also, according to the National Museum of Wales, its
design is of a "Scottish type", which makes it rather an oddity. The
cross is of tenth century origin, from a time when there still was no stone
church in existence in Caerleon but possibly a Celtic type of cluster of cells,
or a wattle and daub type of church. Neither of these types of religious
edifices had any chance of surviving through the centuries.
The Norman arch, now sunk
into the wall of St. Cadoc's, may consist of Roman stones, as many other
Caerleon walls do, which does not mean that the arch itself is Roman. It is
important, however, because it connects us with the earliest stone church, it
is thought to be part of the arcade of a 12th century south aisle. (1)
Although both Canon
Davies and Professor Bowen seem to be quite certain that in Caerleon was an
early cell of St. Cadoc's - whether founded by the saint or later - it is
strange that the church apparently was not called by that name for quite some
time. At least, it is difficult to say which church is meant by "St.
Cadoc's," as there were and still are several of them in the county. In
the Norwich Taxation (1254) the church of "Karliun" is not given any
special name although its vicar Andreas is mentioned. In the Taxation of 1291,
"Eccl. de Keylon" is not given any special name either.
Reasons for this strange
namelessness can be many, one of them being the destruction of documents. The
development of parishes, also, was slow in Wales and pluralism was usual, that
is, the priest may hold several incumbencies at the same time and some of these
were more important than others which were not even mentioned by name. The two
taxations do not mention all churches, because some of them were too poor to be
taxed.
The life of Saint Cadoc
or Cadog has come down to us in a legendary form. The historians agree however
that he was a real person, the son of Gwynllyw, a Welsh prince, and of Gwladus,
the daughter of Brychan of Talgarth. He lived a hermit's life, as befitted a
Celtic monk, but later started missionary work, preaching in a large area in Wales
and Brittany. E. G. Bowen has pointed out that the word saint in the Celtic
areas really meant a hermit or monk, not necessarily a saintly one. So, we do
not know any facts about Cadoc's character. He founded the monastery of
Llancarfan in Glamorganshire, which became the centre of satellite houses or
cells. It was usual in Wales of that period that founders of religious
communities were sons of princeling or chieftain families and that this kind of
foundation stayed in the hands of the same families for quite long periods, the
leadership becoming hereditary.
"The family of
Llancarfan", as J. Conway Davies calls it, exerted its influence in
Glamorgan and Gwent in both religious and political matters. The members of the
family had special relations with the chief Welsh lords of Glamorgan. One of
these was Iorwerth ab Owen, lord of Caerleon, who married Angharad, daughter of
bishop Uthryd of Llandaff (1140-48) who most probably belonged to the
Llancarfan family. This relationship may have led to the founding of the Abbey
of Caerleon and here we may also have the basic reason for the building of a
memorial church to Cadog in Caerleon-even if a cell had existed already in the
lifetime of the saint, six hundred years before.
Giraldus Cambrensis who
travelled in the Caerleon area about forty years after the time of Bishop
Uthryd, does not mention Caerleon Abbey nor St. Cadoc's church, and Geoffrey of
Monmouth (before 1140) whose history we can accept in small doses, talks of the
two churches of St. Julius and St. Aaron, but not of St. Cadoc's.
In the Book of Llandaff
"the church of St. Cadoc" is mentioned among the churches in
existence in the middle of the 12th century. It is most feasible that this
particular church was one on the Roman road, on the site of the ancient Roman
camp, and situated in the area of Iorwerth, who had "come into the family
of Llancarfan" by marrying into it. (The present writer can not judge how
much the theories of Conway Davies concerning the "LIancarfan family"
can be relied upon. There are arguments for and against. (See e.g. Chr. Brooke
in JHSChW). In any case there were then, and now, many churches of St. Cadoc in
Gwent.)
The link of Caerleon
church with the Chapter of Llandaff Cathedral was possibly formed at that early
date. Reverend Green writes:
"Probably places on
Roman roads … were natural centres of Church work from the earliest days."
A lot of rededications
took place during the first years of the Norman period, when mediaeval
religious orders arrived into this country. The general tendency was away from
the Celtic, to a Norman - or actually Roman Catholic - new dedication to Virgin
Mary or some other biblical personage or European saint. If the church of
Caerleon, which indeed stands apart from the north-Gwent group of churches
dedicated to St. Cadoc, received the dedication during the period of the
Llancarfan family's influence in the area, the fact that they were Welsh makes
a Celtic dedication - or commemoration - natural and understandable.
E T. Davies in his
Ecclesiastical History of Monmouthshire asks:
"… who, if not the
lords of the manor, could have built our parish churches?" Indeed, in
those early times the ordinary villeins could only take part in churchbuilding
in the form of carrying stones and timber. Any financing had to come from the
lord, in Caerleon, it is possible that a later lord, e.g. Gilbert de Clare (d.
1295) could have had a hand in the financing of the building, but we can not
imagine that his interest would have gone any further than that. Caerleon was
only a small speck on the map of his estates, even though in his period
Caerleon was a good source of income for him. In the years 1287-90 there was a
battle royal between Edward I and Gilbert de Clare, concerning the holding of
power in Llandaff Diocese. The king finally won in 1290 and Gilbert de Clare
surrendered his rights, getting a grant from the king to the temporalities of
the diocese. So, indeed, he had a certain interest in the church - in its
property at least.
The Chapter of the
Cathedral Church as a body and each member of it individually held separate
property. This arrangement lasted until the reign of Queen Victoria. Prebends
of Llandaff were "furnished" to the Cathedral by four churches, of
which Caerleon was one. According to Rev. Green, Caerleon also was one of those
churches which became permanent benefices. These churches could keep only part
of their revenue, whereas the largest part went to the Impropriator, that is,
the Chapter. At least, this was the situation at the Dissolution of the
Monasteries in 1535.
There seems to have been
some confusion at times between Caerleon church and that of Christchurch which
quite often is called either "Christchurch, Caerleon" or "in the
Wode by Kaerlyoun". The name of Caerleon probably became fixed in this
connection because part of Christchurch parish was in the lordship of Caerleon.
This may be the reason why a vicar of Christchurch, Richard de St. Paul (1348),
has strayed into J. Bradney's list of Caerleon vicars.
In the taxation of 1254
the value of Caerleon church was £6.13.4d whereas that of Christchurch was over
£16. In 1291 it was £13.6s.8d. and Christchurch £26.13.4d. This most probably
came from the income of church lands, offerings, tithes of hay etc., as Valor
Ecclesiasticus shows.
The name, St. Cadoc's,
appears for the first time as the name of the Caerleon church in the fifteenth
century. Sir J. Bradney gives the text of a deed of 1415, where "parochia
Sancti Cadoci" is mentioned, in his History of Monmouthshire, Christchurch.
In the Extent of the lands of William Herbert, 1458-59, we read:
"The vicar of St.
Cadoc's lately held one tenement situate within the town of Caerlleon on the
street leading from the high cross of Caerlleon aforesaid towards the Church of
St. Cadoc since of James Hobyn and for this he pays 4d. annually to the canons
of Landff from the rents of assize of the same … a stable for the lord's horses
situate on the western side of the churchyard of St. Cadoc's of Caerlleon
aforesaid … 16d. annually to the procurator of the church of St. Cadoc from the
rents of the same." (2)
According to Glanmore
Williams, Welsh parish church life was fairly dismal during the 14th, 15th and
16th centuries. "For sermons, parishioners would have to depend on
visitors who, if they came at all, came on great festivals or in Lent … Many of
the higher clergy never came within sight of Welsh dioceses. Others who did
would not have been able to preach in Welsh … More likely visitors were friars.
There were about sixty of them in Wales at the time of the dissolution of the
friaries, though, judging by their names, many would not have been able to
preach in Welsh." This language question is important to remember as Welsh
certainly was the language of the majority of the inhabitants of Caerleon in
those centuries, even though the lowlands of Gwent were the most anglicised
area in South Wales. The English language may have been spoken mainly by those
in leading positions whereas "the folk" spoke Welsh. Until the
Reformation, the main part of the Mass was in Latin which was another strange
language to the Welsh.
During the first part of
the 15th century the state of Caerleon church may indeed have been miserable
because it had been destroyed in the Glyndwr rebellion, with a great part of
the town. A new church was built at the end of 1400, the period of general
church building and decorating all over Britain. Mr. Gwyn Thomas, when showing
the church to the members of the Cambrian Archaeological Association in August
1970, told them that "in the late 15th century the south aisle was
enlarged, the nave remodelled and a north aisle added, with typical West
Country arcades, west windows and wagon roof … and the tower over the west end
of the south aisle heightened."
Details of this church
can be found in some documents, e.g. in the Will of Morgan ap David ap Thomas,
of the year 1502:
"… his body to be
buried in the chapel of the Holy Cross … in St. Cadoc … To the high altar of
the said church of St. Cadoc, 12d. … in default to the priest to be paid in the
chapel of the Blessed Virgin in the said church of St. Cadoc …" (3)
One of the three
witnesses signed under the document, William Watkyn, Philippe ap Philippe ap
Gwilim and John David, could be the priest.
Similar details are found
in the grant given to "the King's councillor William Herbert, K. G.,
master of the Horse and President of the Council in Wales", in 1550:
"Grant to the said
William … the messuages, burgages and lands in Karlion, Saynt Cadock,
Llangatucke, Llanhenocke and Christchurche, Monmouthshire, given to a priest
celebrating in the service called Our Ladyes Service within the church of St.
Cadock in the parish of Karlion; the messuages, burgages, and lands in Karlion,
Llanvregha, Tredenock, Colder, Christchurch and Llangatuck, Monmouthshire given
to a priest celebrating in the service called "the Roodes Service" in
the said church of St. Cadock … the garden in Karlion in tenure of William ap
Jevan, clerk, and the yearly rent of 12d. from a messuage, in Karlyon in tenure
of Alice Dyo given to perpetual prayer for the dead in the church of Karlion to
be made by the priest from the pulpit…" (4)
In the above document is
also a reference to 18d., the rent money taken for the repair of the church,
and 3d. for the support of a priest.
In the Valor
Ecclesiasticus, a chantry in the northern part of the church is mentioned, In
the Certificate of Colleges, Chantries etc., given when the chantries were
dissolved in 1548, we find that there were two chantries, one "called our
lady ch(antry) whereunto there doth apperteyne lande and ten'te of the yearly
value of £4.14.4." and one "other called the Roode whereunto there
doth apperteyne lande and tente". The latter value is not given. (5)
In a grant of the year
1563 we read that William Morgan and John Moris received lands "in Saynte
Caddock, Langatok and Llanvreghva … late of the service of Our Ladye in the
church called Saynte Cadock in the parish of Karlion aforesaid." (6)
From the 17th century
there is not much information, except that given in the account of the Duke of
Beaufort's Progress in 1684. Thomas Dineley who made the notes during the
journey also made a tiny drawing of the church of which we can see that the
windows were certainly different from the present ones. Hardly anything else
can be deduced from the drawing. However, in the same work is a drawing of a
memorial inside the church, to Thomas Morgan, son of the Sheriff Thomas Morgan
who lived at Penrhos. This means that there probably were other memorials, perhaps
even tombs, although none of them have survived. There also is some information
in different sources, about some vicars in the 17th century.
The 18th century is
generally considered lax in religious matters, in Britain as well as elsewhere
in Europe. It could be that it was no worse than the centuries previous or
after. Actually, the eighteenth century saw the beginnings of many religious
movements: Baptists, Methodists, Moravians etc., all signs of estrangement from
the established church. It is true that in the church pluralism was still usual
but it is difficult to say whether the vicars of Caerleon were any worse than
most others, in any century. We simply do not know enough about them. There is
more documentation from the 18th century than from the previous centuries, both
in the Registers and in visitation records, but no information about the vicars
individually.
The most complete record
of a Bishop's Visitation is from the year 1763; in connection with it the
vicar, Dent Davies, filled in a questionnaire which gives a fairly good picture
of his work:
I. Families: In the town
of Caerleon 126 families. 1 Roman Catholic, 4 Anabaptist. In the par. of
Llangattock iuxta Caerleon 36 families, of which 2 Anabaptist. No Dissenters of
any other Denomination. One licensed meeting house in the parish, frequented
once a month. Mr. Miles Harris of Ponty Pool and Mr. Evan David of Bassaleg
teach there alternatively.
II. There is a Charity
school in this town endow'd for 20 Boys and 10 girls and due care taken to
instruct them in the principles of the Xian religion are taught in the
Catechism of the Church as by Law.
III. Almshouse: There is,
but no inhabitants therein as yet, nor do I know how or to whom the Money is
bestowed, but I hear it is duly distributed every year. The Rev. Mr. Richard
Vaughan Norman is Manager thereof. No Lands left for the repair of the Church
or any other pious uses.
IV. I resided upon my
Vicarage of Chepstow while my health permitted me, but now live in this town,
being very weak and infirm.
V. (- a residing Curate?)
I have, his name is Thomas Evans, and believe he is duly qualified, lives at
the Free School I-louse, and I allow him 30 £ a year salary for serving this
church and Llanhennock.
VI. (Do you perform
Divine Service at any Church besides your own?) Chepstow.
VII. (How often Service?)
Every Sunday and Holy Day in the year, twice every Lords Day with a sermon in
the Morning.
VIII. (How often Holy
Sacrament?) Four times, at the three great Feast (sic!) and at Michaelmas.
IX. (How many
communicants?) Never less than twenty and seldom more than forty.
X. (When are Children
Cathechised?) In Lent time. Servants and apprentices cannot be prevailed with
to submit to that duty.
XI. (- any Chapels?)
Llanhennock of late years has been annexed to Llangattock being a Nomination of
the Chapter of Landaff, less than two Post Miles distant and served by my
Curate aforesaid. No ruins of Chappels in town or Parish. (7)
After reading this report
one can not help commenting that Dent Davies could have been a little more
knowledgeable about the Alms-house and the poor generally, even though he was
"very weak and infirm". Also, he only "believes" that his
curate was qualified, a man who had been curate for four years already, in 1763.
Perhaps we should be charitable - Dent Davies had only five years left to live
and perhaps he was very ill indeed.
From the early 19th
century we have another questionnaire, filled in by the incumbent, John Thomas,
on the 17th of January 1815. Among information similar to that of Dent Davies,
he tells his bishop that he resided at the Free School, although the vicarage
existed.
Of the population of
Caerleon John Thomas says: "I do not for the present recollect and would
refer to the return (illegible)". He comes to the conclusion there may be
"one thousand souls." Next to this, there is written in another handwriting:
"667 Caerleon, 169 Llangattock."
John Thomas thought the
church was "capable of containing a thousand persons" and confessed
that his living exceeded £150 per annum. (8)
During his tour in South
Wales in 1803 the Reverend John Evans wrote in one of his Letters: "The
poverty of the church stands forward as a distinguishing cause (i.e. for sects
and dissension). The livings are chiefly vicarages and, owing to the unjust
rapacity of the 8th Henry, are so small, as to render pluralities necessary to
procure incumbency. The inconsiderable sums which can be allowed to assistants,
or stipendiary curates, occasions a greater plurality in curacies than in
livings: nor is it unfrequent for a clergyman to have four or five different
churches to serve on the same day. How the solemn service of our liturgy must,
from necessity, be performed, may be better conceived than expressed:
especially when it is recollected, that several miles are to be rode or walked
over during the same period. This extraordinary labour, and so ill rewarded,
deters men of education, of talent, and piety from engaging in the service.
Others, therefore, from among the lowest of the people, and destitute of
education (at least such as is necessary to understand divinity, and properly
explain it to others) are necessarily admitted into holy orders; many of whom,
by the lowness of their manners, too often throw obstacles in the way of truth,
and degrade their ministry. Is it a matter of surprise then, if the people,
finding their pastors as illiterate as themselves, should be inclined to follow
others with more pretensions to piety and at least equal claims to human
learning?"
Indeed, one hopes that
the poor clergymen of South Wales never set their eyes on those lines
describing their lowly state so mercilessly. Still, Reverend Evans must have
known the subject.
As to the looks of
Caerleon church in the eighteenth century. we find in the Churchwardens'
Accounts that whitewash was used, probably for the outside as well as inside.
Evans and Britton tell us that "whimsical customs prevailed in
Monmouthshire, of whitewashing churches" and "though in some cases it
has not an unpleasing effect, yet in others it takes off from that memorable
aspect so impressively assumed by weather-beaten stone. Usually the body of the
church is whitened, and occasionally the tower also. In some instances the
battlements and parrapet are whitewashed."
Although Charles
Williams's legacy was available, the church began to benefit only more than a
hundred years afterwards - at least that is the impression one gets. As we
noticed from Dent Davies's report, he does not mention the existence of the
money for church repairs. About 1822-23 new pews were installed at the expense
of the Charity. Stoves, at the price of £30 and chandeliers were ordered, new
pulpit cushion provided, etc. (9)
In the middle of the 19th
century Caerleon began to rebuild the church which apparently was in rather a
bad condition. From 1853 we have a Report of the Dean and Chapter, Llandaff, on
the condition of the chancel of the church. Part of it is as follows:
"… the Chancel … we
find it to be the most dilapidated and even dangerous state. The Southern Wall
in particular considerably overhangs its base and is only sustained by iron
ties through it and the northern wall. We fear that the works requisite to be
done to put this chancel into a state of decent repair would amount to nearly
as much as rebuilding the whole."
The report suggests that
the east wall had to be taken down several feet. The roof timbers were
"covered within by an unsightly segmental ceiling, which must be destroyed
by the works done to the Walls, so that in fact an entire new Roof is
required…" The inspectors thought that the church was an important one,
therefore e.g.: "The present fittings also are of an incongruous and
unsightly character … The altarpiece being of classic design, the altar table
having classic columns as legs; the altar rails do not extend across the
Chancel as they should do…" They said they could possibly do the repairs -
we would call it rebuilding - for £190. (10)
It took some time before
the actual rebuilding started. In the Monmouthshire Merlin, 2 February 1867, is
a small notice: "On Saturday last two accidents at Caerleon church to
workmen."
During the restoration
work the Antiquarian Association had their Annual General Meeting where Mr. Lee
gave his report on the progress of work: "The restoration of the church at
Caerleon has disclosed some portions of round arched architecture, much earlier
than the rest of the building; and the museum has been enriched by a fresh inscription,
presented by the Vicar, and found by him when pulling down an old house near
the churchyard … expected that the ecclesiastical remains would have afforded
examples of the earliest styles of architecture, and probably the transition to
that of later date. It is, however, singular that till lately this has not been
the case. The style of the church was always considered to belong to that
called perpendicular, indicating no great antiquity - the only variety being
some very debased windows, which hardly deserved to be ranked with what the
late Dean Coneybeare called pump-room architecture. - The late restoration, or
rather that which is now in progress, has revealed some portions of the encient
edifice … the site of the modern church was occupied by a building of far
greater antiquity … On one side a painted Greek cross was found, which has been
partially preserved, but the colours which at first were very marked, have
faded away to a great extent, though they are still visible. The drawing now
exhibited was very correct, when the cross was first found the colours were
quite as bright."
This incomplete and tantalising account by Lee shows that something indeed was found but without modern methods of preservation was for ever lost, Also, it shows that Caerleon church had never been able to boast of beauty, and no wonder, as the church had always had to pay most of its revenue to the greedy Cathedral. Few Welsh churches are decorative or specially beautiful, they are mostly functional; this is the case almost everywhere in Gwent.
Sources
1. The Report of the
117th meeting of the Cambrian Archeological Association, in Archeologia
Cambrensis 1971.
2. GwRO/MAN/B/77/000l.
3. GwRO/260/5500.
4. Cal. of Patent Rolls,
Edw. VI, iii.
5. Newport Library, a
photocopy.
6. Cal. of Patent Rolls,
Eliz. I.
7. NLW/LL/QA/2.
8. NLW/Parochial Returns
1814-16.
9. Reports of the
Commissioners appointed in pursuance of various acts of Parliament, to enquire
concerning Charities in England & Wales and Monmouthshire, 1819-37.
10. GwRO/260/886.
Other Printed Sources
E. G. Bowen: Settlements
of the Celtic Saints.
G. H. Holmes: Estates of
the Higher Nobility in Fourteenth Century England. See also "Gwent Local
History", No. 45, p. 17.
E. T. Davies: The
Ecclesiastical History of Monmouthshire.
J. Conway Davies: The
Episcopal Acts.
Rev. C. A. Green: Notes
on Churches in the Diocese of Llandaff.
Rev. J. Evans: Letters
written during a Tour through South Wales, in the year 1803 and at other times.
J. Evans and J. Britton:
The Beauties of England and Wales. Vol. XI (1809).
Archeologia Cambrensis.
Glamore Williams: The Welsh Church from the Conquest to the Reformation.
Acknowledgements
The writer wants to
express her gratitude to the staff of the Gwent Record Office and Canon E. T.
Davies.
CAERLEON NET
back
to Gwent Local History index
.jpg)
Venerable Cadoc, Abbot of
Llancarfan in Wales
Commemorated: January
24/February 6 and September 25/October 8
St. Cadoc (c. 497 - c.
580) was the founder of the famous monastery of Llancarfan (c. 518) in the
present-day Vale of Glamorgan in Wales. This monastery was to become one of the
best-known in Wales, as well as a great centre of learning.
Two of the most popular
lives of St. Cadoc were written 500 years after his repose and contain both
authentic and inauthentic information. St. Cadoc was the elder son of king
Gundleus (or Woolos, “the warrior”) and Queen Gwladys (Gladys; both of them
later became hermits and were venerated as saints after their repose) and he
was born in Monmouthshire. St. Petroc of Cornwall was a relative, and the
priest and hermit Tathyw (Tathan) baptized him and instructed him in the
monastic life. It was said that Cadoc had worked miracles even before his
death: heavenly light miraculously appeared in his parents’ home and even food
was multiplied (hence he is a patron of those suffering from famine). The
future saint refused to claim the throne and decided to serve God all his life.
He preached very zealously in Wales and later founded Llancarfan monastery,
becoming its first abbot. He is rightly considered to be one of the founding
fathers of monasticism in south Wales. The name "Llancarfan" from
Welsh means "a deer church." Tradition tells us that two tame deer,
harnessed to a carriage, helped St. Cadoc build the monastery.
Some early sources say
that about 1,000 monks lived in the Llancarfan Monastery at the same time.
Llancarfan also had several small daughter monasteries and cells (sketes). St.
Cadoc also established a seminary in his monastery which was to produce many
holy men. The soil of this part of south Wales, before the arrival of St.
Cadoc, was very marshy and barren. The saint and his disciples drained the
marshes and cultivated the land so energetically that it soon became fertile
land. Thanks to the unbelievable labors of the ascetic Cadoc and his monks,
which took many years, this formerly uninhabitable region turned into one of
the most beautiful and prosperous corners of south Wales. Apart from the
church, the monastic buildings and the seminary, the monastery also had its own
hospital.
According to tradition,
the future St. Iltut, who later was to found another great monastic centre at
Llantwit-Major, began his monastic life at Llancarfan under St. Cadoc. At the
invitation of St. Cadoc, Gildas the Wise once came to this monastery. St.
Gildas remained there for a year, taught in the seminary and even compiled a
copy of the Gospels, which was kept in the monastery church for a long time.
The Welsh people loved this Gospel so much that they used to take oaths on it.
Llancarfan Monastery was also noted for the tradition of serving the needy.
Once a band of robbers
was approaching the community. St. Cadoc with his brother monks, relying on
God, went out singing church hymns in very loud voices: the robbers were
immediately ashamed and turned back.
It is also recorded that
St. Cadoc lived as a hermit on the island of Flatholm in the Bristol Channel,
while his friend, St. Gildas, lived as a hermit on another small island nearby,
called Steepholm, which is now in Somerset. The friends and hermits met from
time to time to pray together.
During his life St. Cadoc
studied for some time in Ireland and visited many Irish monasteries, and in
about the year 562 he probably made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Rome.
From Jerusalem he brought back to his monastery several altar stones which had
touched the Holy Sepulcher. Later St. Cadoc (perhaps together with St. Gildas)
led a solitary life on an island off the coast of Brittany, not far from
Vannes. It should be mentioned that a great many Welsh and Cornish saints moved
to live in and evangelize Brittany while a considerable number of Bretons came
to lead the ascetic life in Wales. These two lands were very closely linked
spiritually. In Brittany St. Cadoc was a very active missionary, and there he
may have founded a chapel and a monastery.
Some sources say that in
his later years, Cadoc was too old to rule his Llancarfan Monastery and so he
retired to a certain secluded place, probably near Abergavenny. According to
tradition, St. Cadoc was slain by a pagan in the town of Weedon (originally
Beneventum in Northamptonshire) in England while serving the Liturgy. (This
tradition is supported by the fact that at that time pagan Saxons and Angles
were actively invading parts of Britain and the saint went to England to
support persecuted Christians). However, some historians believe that the saint
was not martyred and died a natural death. Some researchers suppose that St.
Cadoc was also a bishop, but there is no strong evidence to support this.
Among other monasteries
possibly founded by St. Cadoc, we can mention the monastery of Brecknock, as
well as numerous chapels, churches and monasteries in Dyfed (present-day
Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and Ceredigion), Cornwall, Brittany and
Scotland. It is said that the saint constructed a stone monastery in the
Scottish region of Stirlingshire, in a place called Kilmadock. Cadoc allegedly
lived here for seven years and seven churches in the area were dedicated to
him. Opponents of this story state that the monastery of St. Cadoc was situated
in another place—in the present-day St Ninians near Stirling.
The saint was a close
friend of St. Gildas and probably communicated with St. David, the patron-saint
of Wales. Among his disciples there were St. Barrog as well as St. Finnian of
Clonard, one of the greatest Irish saints (owing to St. Finnian, St. Cadoc
became well-known in Ireland). According to evidence from that time, St. Cadoc
was famous for his outstanding intellect and so he was called "Cadoc the
Wise" by his contemporaries. Later there even appeared collections of his
sayings. St. Cadoc is usually depicted with a lance and with a crown near his
feet, sometimes with a deer, mouse or pig. (All of these animals helped the
saint in his life. A mouse during the famine showed the monastery’s brethren an
abandoned and very rich granary, and a sow pointed out to the saint the spot
where he was to build his monastery).
At least fifteen churches
are dedicated to St. Cadoc in Wales, especially in the south of the country and
also in Brittany. A chapel in Cornwall is dedicated to him as well. Disciples
and spiritual children of Cadoc continued his labors in South Wales and built
many churches and chapels in his memory, particularly in Glamorgan and Gwent.
The monastery of Llancarfan, founded by the saint, existed till 1086 when it
was dissolved after the Norman Conquest. In the present-day village of
Llancarfan (situated 15 miles from Cardiff and just near the town of
Cowbridge), where this monastery was located, there is still a large, beautiful
and ancient church, dedicated to St. Cadoc. It is visited by pilgrims to this
day. Several years ago during conservation work inside this church, fine and
bright fifteenth century wall-paintings, depicting the life and miracles of St.
George, the royal family members, the seven deadly sins, and so on were
uncovered under a layer of limewash on one of its walls.[1]
A Norman church in the
Welsh town of Caerleon is dedicated to him; apparently the saint visited this
place or lived the ascetic life here for some while. A local hospital bears the
saint's name as well. The name of St. Cadoc is invoked against deafness,
especially by the faithful in the department of Finisterre in Brittany. No less
than thirty places in Brittany (including even an isle called L’Ile de St.
Cado) are named after St. Cadoc. In ancient time his name was also evoked
against scrofula and cramps.
And now let us say a few
words about the parents of St. Cadoc—Gundleus and Gwladys (both reposed in the
first half of the sixth century and are commemorated on March 29/April 11). St.
Gwladys was one of numerous children of the famous saintly King Brychan of
Brecknock, and in her youth was very beautiful. She married Gundleus, then a
ferocious pagan, who was a minor king in south-east Wales. They had several
sons, the greatest of whom was St. Cadoc. Under the influence of his pious
Christian wife and his glorious son Cadoc the king subsequently repented of all
his past sins and became a devout Christian. In a miraculous vision Gundleus
was soon told to found a hermitage together with his spouse on Stow Hill near
Newport in South Wales (now within the city of Newport)
Thus, this devout royal
couple began to lead austere ascetic life. Already at an advanced age, they
lived in such abstinence that they ate nothing but bread and herbs, drank
nothing but water and prayed even on winter nights in the River Usk (which was
a common practice among Celtic saints). They attended church every day,
kneeling in prayer before the holy altar. But the holy couple did not stop at
this. On St. Cadoc’s advice they abstained from marital relations and lived
separately in solitude and unceasing prayer till the end of their lives. St.
Gwladys then moved to the spot called pencanau in Bassaleg near Newport where
she lived an extremely austere life in her cell, standing every day in the
river Ebbw in prayer. Shortly before her death she moved to Gelligaer in
Caerphilly where she probably reposed.
Many sites near Newport
and Gelligaer were connected with her and a number of churches, chapels and
holy wells were dedicated to this saint. Today Gwladys is the patroness of both
Newport and Gelligaer, though she is especially venerated in the town of Bargoed
in Caerphilly, where a church is dedicated to her and a school bears her name.
Girls in Wales and throughout Britain used to be called “Gladys.” As for
Gundleus, up to his death he wore rags, ate barley bread and drank a little
water, and combined prayer with manual labor. On his deathbed he was visited by
St. Cadoc who gave him communion. Today he is co-patron of Newport together
with his wife Gwladys; the local Anglican cathedral in this city is dedicated
to him and a street bears his name. This is a remarkable example of family
holiness in ancient Britain.
Holy Father Cadoc and his
Holy Parents Gundleus and Gwladys, pray to God for us!
07 / 02 / 2015
[1] This
discovery is considered to be one of the best and rarest tableaux of the
Great-Martyr George the Victory-Bearer, Patron-Saint of England, in Britain.
Interestingly, similar cases of the discovery of medieval wall-paintings
beneath whitewash occur regularly. The fact is that the medieval churches of
Britain were very richly and beautifully decorated inside, but Protestants,
especially the Puritans in the seventeenth century, deliberately whitewashed
the walls of churches in order to hide the paintings, which were against their
religion. However, this did not destroy the precious frescoes but, on the
contrary, helped them survive.
SOURCE : http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/77094.htm
Saint
Cado débarque pour prêcher la doctrine du Christ, 19e siècle, vitrail, Église Saint-Cornély, Carnac (France),
en bas au centre : St Cado débarque pour prêcher la doctrine du
Christ et croit déjà voir derrière lui les croix et les églises édifiées que
son zèle religieux fit élever plus tard. Photographie personnelle Yann
Gwilhoù 2016
San Cadoc di Llancarfan Abate
Martirologio Romano: Nel
monastero di Llandcarfan nel Galles meridionale, san Cadóco, abate, sotto il
cui nome furono fondati molti monasteri anche in Cornovaglia e in Bretagna.
La leggenda si è talmente impadronita delle vicende della vita di Cadoc, che appare quasi del tutto impossibile dire qualcosa di storicamente certo sulla figura di questo santo del Galles, cui è attribuita la fondazione del celebre monastero di Llancarfan (o Llancarvon; altri, tuttavia, danno come fondatori san Germano e san Dubricio). Ci sono pervenute due Vitae di Cadoc, redatte tra la fine del sec. XI e l'inizio del XII da due monaci di Llancarfan: Lifris e Caradoc.
Secondo quanto può ricavarsi da questi testi, Cadoc figlio primogenito di Gundleus (Gwynnlliw Filwr o Gundiou il Guerriero), re del Galles meridionale, e di Gladusa (Gwladys), figlia o nipote di san Brychan, nacque verso la fine del sec. V e fu battezzato col nome di Cathmail da un vecchio eremita irlandese, san Meuthi. A sette anni Cadoc ottenne dai genitori il permesso di porsi sotto la direzione di Meuthi, dal quale ebbe la prima istruzione, e poi abbracciò la vita religiosa, passando alla scuola aperta a Gwent (Monmouthshire) da Tathai, presso cui restò per dodici anni. Ben presto Cadoc fu in grado di aprire egli stesso una scuola e fondò, verso il 518 sembra, il monastero di Llancarfan («Chiesa dei Cervi»), al quale convennero molti desiderosi di seguire i suoi insegnamenti. Verso il 523 si recò in Irlanda con alcuni discepoli e, volendo apprendere le sette arti liberali, per tre anni soggiornò nel Lismore sotto la guida di Muchutu. Tornò poi in patria con molti compagni irlandesi e si recò nel Brecknock, ove era giunto dall'Italia Bachan, retore famoso, dal quale Cadoc volle apprendere il latino secondo il metodo romano.
A quei tempi nel paese infuriava una grave carestia e Cadoc un giorno, seguendo incuriosito un topo che aveva tra le zampe un chicco di grano, scoprì una grande casa sotterranea nella quale era un granaio ben fornito. L'episodio sembra verisimile perché i Celti usavano servirsi di granai sotterranei, alcuni dei quali, in rovina, sono visibili ancora nel Galles e nel Cornwall. Il grano servì a sfamare i poveri del distretto e il luogo dove era stato trovato, donato da Brychan a Cadoc, prese il nome di Llanspyddid. Cadoc vi edificò un monastero, che lasciò poi a Bachan, per tornare a Llancarfan il cui monastero, però, era stato distrutto. Cadoc ricostruì chiesa e monastero presso il Severn, a tre miglia da Cowbridge, e vi aprì una scuola alla quale, secondo Giovanni di Tynemouth, studiò anche il grande sant Illtyd. I monaci di Llancarfan, quando non lavoravano nei campi o nei boschi, trascrivevano le Sacre Scritture e altri testi. Per merito di Cadoc, che ebbe anche la gioia di convertire i suoi genitori, il monastero fu risparmiato dalle razzie più volte minacciate contro di esso per diversi motivi (tra l'altro, dai genitori di un giovane che vi era entrato contro la loro volontà).
Cadoc si sarebbe recato in Grecia e a Gerusalemme (544?) per tornare poi a Llancarfan dove, tra gli altri, si dice abbia avuto per discepolo anche Gildas che, però, probabilmente insegnò nel monastero e non vi fu scolaro.
Secondo Caradoc, Gildas e Cadoc si ritirarono nelle isole di Rouech e Echni per sfuggire i fastidi causati dalla loro popolarità; durante le invasioni sassoni i due si rifugiarono in Bretagna, dove Cadoc fondò un monastero in un'isola delle Morbihan: per facilitare l'afflusso dei discepoli Cadoc unì l'isola alla terraferma con un ponte in pietra. Lasciata poi sotto la guida di Katgwalader la comunità, già divenuta fiorente, tornò in Inghilterra. Ritiratosi a Benevenna (nome romano per Weedon, Northamptonshire), Cadoc vi morì di morte naturale, secondo Caradoc, ucciso da un soldato sassone, secondo Lifris. Colgan e Lanigan danno il 570 come data della morte.
E interessante notare che un ulteriore capitolo è stato aggiunto alle vicende di Cadoc da quanti hanno affrettatamente identificato Benevenna con Beneventum: secondo questi autori, dunque, Cadoc si sarebbe recato in Italia, sarebbe divenuto vescovo di Benevento e vi sarebbe stato martirizzato. A coronamento di queste fantastiche supposizioni, Cadoc viene identificato con Sophias, martire che figura tra i più antichi vescovi di Benevento.
Venerato in Bretagna, nel territorio di Vannes, nel Léon e nell'antica Cornovaglia, Cadoc è celebrato il 23 gennaio nel priorato di San Michele a Newport e nella cattedrale di Belmont nel Galles. Il 21 settembre ricorre la sua festa nella diocesi di Vannes, mentre i Bollandisti lo ricordano al 24 gennaio. Cadoc è patrono di Llanspyddid e di altre chiese del Galles e della Bretagna.
Autore: Faustino Mostardi
SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/71270
Statue
de Saint Cado dans la chapelle de Careil à Guérande.
Cadoc (ook Cadeau,
Cadec, Cadeuc, Cado, Cadocus, Cadou, Cadroc, Caduodus, Cadvod, Cadvoz,
Canvel, Cast, Cataw, Cathmael, Catmael, Catmail, Catmel, Cato,
Catuodus, Catvael, Catvel, Kadec, Kadeg, Kadeuc, Kadmael, Kado, Kadog,
Kadok,Kadou, Kadvael of Kadvoz) van
Llancarfan (ook van Beneventum, van Wales of de Wijze)
Wales, Groot-Brittannië; stichter & abt; † ca 570.
Feest 24
januari & 21 september ('pardon' = boetprocessie).
Hij was afkomstig uit Cornwall en zou zijn opgevoed door Ierse monniken. In 518 stichtte hij klooster Llancarfan in Clamorgan Wales. Hij schijnt gestorven te zijn in de Italiaanse plaats Benevento, volgens sommigen als martelaar. Daar werd tot diep in de middeleeuwen zijn nagedachtenis in ere gehouden. Er bestaan over hem verschillende tradities die moeilijk met elkaar in overeenstemming zijn te brengen.
De Welshe overlevering vertelt dat hij zich vanuit Wales drie jaar terugtrok in Bretagne en daar als kluizenaar leefde op het naar hem genoemde eiland St-Cado (Morbihan).
De Bretonse traditie geeft hem een veel groter en belangrijker plaats. Dat zou zijn wijd verbreide verering in Bretagne ook beter verklaren.
Het kan natuurlijk ook zijn dat er twee verschillende heiligen van dezelfde
naam zijn geweest: één in Wales en één in Bretagne. Hoe dan ook, hieronder
geven we eerst de Welshe traditie en vervolgens de Bretonse.
1 Welshe traditie
In Wales bestaan er twee oude levensbeschrijvingen van Sint Cadoc. De oudste gaat terug op het einde van de 11e eeuw en is van de hand van ene Llifris, waarschijnlijk een monnik die verbonden was aan het heiligdom van Sint Cadoc in Llancarfan. Deze vertelling is een aaneenschakeling van wonderen en onwaarschijnlijke voorvallen die de heiligheid van Cadoc moeten onderstrepen.
Aan het begin van de 12e eeuw tekende Caradoc van Llancarfan nog een tweede veel soberder levensverhaal op van Sint Cadoc. Omdat het eerste wellicht ook al in de ogen van de tijdgenoten te onwaarschijnlijk was?
We vatten beide verhalen hieronder samen.
1.1 Levensbeschrijving van Llifris (eind 11e eeuw)
Cadoc was een zoon van koning Gwynllyw van Gwynlliog in het zuidwesten van
Wales. De koning was een neef van de heilige Petroc († 594; feest 4 juni).
Uit het feit dat Sint Petroc zo'n twintig tot vijfentwintig jaar later is
gestorven dan Sint Cadoc mogen we afleiden dat dit historisch niet zal kloppen.
Zulke details kwamen meer voort uit de behoefte om bekende gegevens met elkaar
in verband te brengen.
Gwynllyw schaakte de dochter van koning Brychan Gwladys nadat hij nul op het rekest had gekregen, toen hij om haar hand had gevraagd. Toen hun eerste kind op komst was, verscheen hun een engel die zei dat het kind Catmail genoemd moest worden. Het kind werd in een bron gedoopt door de kluizenaar Meuthi. Deze droeg vervolgens zeven jaar zorg voor zijn opvoeding.
Vervolgens stichtte Cadoc klooster Llancarfan. Daarna stak hij over naar Ierland om zich in klooster Lismore te bekwamen in de zeven vrije kunsten.
Na drie jaar keerde hij terug maar vestigde zich na een bezoek aan zijn Llancarfan toch elders. Elk jaar bezocht hij zijn klooster om er samen met de anderen Pasen te vieren. Hij werd dan vergezeld door een menigte geestelijken, soldaten, metselaars, bouwlieden, armen en weduwen. Vanaf zijn zetel gaf hij hun onderricht. Op zijn tochten door het gebied stichtte hij Padstow, een kapel met bron. Na een bezoek aan het Heilige Land zou hij daarin water uit de Jordaan hebben gegoten. Sindsdien gaan de mensen erheen om genezing van hun kwalen te vinden.
Weer was hij van plan Llancarfan te verlaten en benoemde Elli tot zijn
opvolger. Zelf werd hij op engelenhanden door de lucht overgebracht naar de
Italiaanse plaats Benevento. Juist op dat moment was de abt gestorven. Men koos
hem tot nieuwe abt en noemde hem Sofias. Op wonderbare wijze was hij in staat
de taal van de mensen daar te spreken. Toen Elli ter ore kwam wat er gebeurd
was, bracht hij sindsdien elk jaar een bezoek aan zijn oude leermeester.
Intussen was Sofias tot bisschop benoemd. Hij stierf aan het altaar door
toedoen van een soldaat of een plaatselijke tiran.
1.2 Levensbeschrijving van Caradoc van Llancarfan
Deze variant is korter en veel soberder. Volgens Caradoc werd Cadoc gewaarschuwd
door een engel om op pelgrimstocht te gaan. Onderweg deed hij Benevento aan,
waar hij ziek werd en stierf. Niets over een abts- of bisschopsbenoeming.
Evenmin iets over een marteldood. Wel een veel waarschijnlijker verklaring, hoe
het komt dat er in Benevento een Welshe heilige wordt vereerd.
2 Bretonse traditie
Cado's vader Gundleus (ook Conlay) was koning van Glamorgan in Wales; hij was
gehuwd met Gladys.
Gundleus was vorst van Glamorgan, een gebiedje in het Zuid-Westen van Wales, en huwde met Gladys, één van de vierentwintig kinderen van de beroemde Brychan van Brecknock († ca 500; feest 6 april). Van haar tien broers en dertien zussen was zij de enige die niet voor het religieuze leven koos. Zij en Gundleus kregen één kind, de heilige Cadoc (ook Cado) van Wales († ca 570; feest 24 januari).
Aanvankelijk werd hun leven bepaald door oorlog en geweld, maar de beide echtelieden lieten zich door hun vrome zoon Cadoc tot andere gedachten brengen. Gundleus droeg zijn ambt over aan zijn zoon en trok zich met zijn gemalin terug in de eenzaamheid van Stow Hill bij Newport (Gwent) om er samen een kluizenaarsleven te gaan leiden. Ze gaven zich over aan praktijken van strenge versterving. Zomer of winter elke dag namen ze een bad in de ijskoude rivier de Usk waarna ze naakt een wandeling van een uur maakten. Intussen had Cadoc het voorbeeld van zijn vader gevolgd: op zijn beurt had hij de staatszaken overgelaten aan zijn ooms, de broers van zijn vader, en was ook kluizenaar geworden. Hij overtuigde zijn ouders ervan dat ze beter elk apart hun leven aan God konden wijden. Gladys ging vanaf dat moment wonen in Pencanau in Bassaleg. Gundleus zette ter plaatse zijn eenzame leven voort. Op zijn doodsbed werd hij nog bezocht door de heilige Dyffrig (ook Dubricius; † ca 545; feest 14 november).
Zij worden beiden als heiligen vereerd: feest 29 maart.
Twaalf jaar lang leefde
Cado als kluizenaar te Llancarvan, en ontving geestelijke begeleiding van een
oude medebroeder. Reeds in die tijd worden hem wonderen toegeschreven: zo
schijnt hij twee doden ten leven te hebben gewekt; een ervan was een arbeider
die door zijn collega's de hersens was ingeslagen, en in een meer gegooid. Ook
wordt van hem verteld, dat hij gloeiende kolen zou hebben vervoerd zonder dat
hij zich eraan brandde, of zijn kleding schroeide. Alleen op die voorwaarde
hadden herders hem vuur willen geven voor zijn haard.
Meestal is dit een
symbolische verwijzing naar het feit dat de heilige zijn (brandende!) begeerten
beheerste!
Hij bouwde een gastenhuis waar een school aan verbonden was. Dat gaf een grote toeloop van mensen. Daarop besloot Cado zich dieper in de eenzaamheid terug te trekken, en stak over naar Bretagne. Daar stichtte hij een klooster aan de monding van de Etel, op de plek die thans nog naar hem is genoemd: St-Cado.
Hij bouwde er de eerste stenen brug van Bretagne. Volgens de plaatselijke bevolking was dat werk zo gauw klaar dat de duivel zelf hem er een handje bij geholpen moest hebben. Hij had het op een akkoordje gegooid: de duivel zou de brug in één nacht aanleggen op voorwaarde dat de eerste levende ziel die erover heen zou lopen voor hem was. Meteen toen de brug voltooid was joeg Sint Cado een zwarte kat over de brug... De brug ligt er nog altijd en voert naar de prachtige kapel van St-Cado; vlak erbij ligt een bron.
Na drie jaar bekruipt hem weer de lust tot rondtrekken en reizen. Hij gaat op
pelgrimstocht naar Aquitanië en vandaar via Palestina naar Rome. Daar zou hij
zeven jaar hebben verbleven. Op de terugweg doet hij Benevento aan. Juist op
dat moment was de plaatselijke bisschop gestorven. Omdat hij - zeker na zijn
pelgrimstocht - zo'n waardige en heilige uitstraling heeft wordt hij door de
bevolking tot bisschop gekozen. Volgens sommigen is hij de marteldood
gestorven, toen een bende onverlaten de kerk binnendrong op het moment dat hij
aan het altaar de mis opdroeg.
Verering & Cultuur
Hij wordt vereerd in Cornwall en Wales en in Bretagne; daar vindt men zelfs een
aantal plaatsen die naar hem genoemd.
[Aut.1986»Kado; Cha.1995p:45; DSB.1979p.67»Cadoc; Frm.1996; Nwm.z.j.0480;
Orm.2002p:79-82; Vce.1990; Dries van den Akker s.j./2007.12.30]
© A. van den Akker
s.j.
SOURCE : http://www.heiligen.net/heiligen/01/24/01-24-0570-cadoc.php
Voir aussi : https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2018/01/saint-cadoc-abbot-of-llancarfan-in.html
