Saint Malo (; also known as Maclou, Maloù, or in

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

as Maclovius or Machutus, 27 March 520 – 15 November 621) was a Welsh mid-sixth century founder of

Saint-Malo Saint-Malo (, , ; Gallo language, Gallo: ; ) is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany (administrative region), Brittany. The Fortification, walled city on the English Channel coast had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth ...

, a commune in

Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

, France. He was one of the seven founding saints of Brittany.

Life

Malo's name may derive from the Old Breton ''machlou'', a compound of ''mach'' "warrant, hostage" and ''lou'' (or ''loh'') "brilliant, bright, beautiful". Malo was probably born in Llancarfan (Wales) in approximately 520. He was the son of Dervel, sister of Amwn Ddu, and therefore cousin to St. Samson. He was placed in the abbot's care at a young age, and grew up at the abbey, where he was ordained priest and assigned the office of preacher.

Voyages with Brendan

As a monk at Llancarfan Abbey in Wales, Malo was known for his participation in the voyage of

Brendan the Navigator Brendan of Clonfert (c. AD 484 – c. 577) is one of the early Celtic Christianity, Irish monastic saints and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. He is also referred to as Brendan the Navigator, Brendan the Voyager, Brendan the Anchorite, ...

. Malo became Brendan's favourite disciple.Grattan-Flood, William. "St. Machutus." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. A number of legendary tales of the adventures of Brendan and Malo survive. According to the ''Voyage of Saint Brendan the Abbot'', they and their companions discovered the " Island of the Blest". Another story tells of an encounter with Maclovius, a dead giant whom Brendan temporarily revives and baptizes. On a second voyage, Brendan and Malo are said to have visited and evangelized locations including Cézembre, the

Orkney Islands Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland ...

, and the northern isles of

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

Breton evangelist

At Aleth, Malo served under a venerable

hermit A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Chr ...

named

Aaron According to the Old Testament of the Bible, Aaron ( or ) was an Israelite prophet, a high priest, and the elder brother of Moses. Information about Aaron comes exclusively from religious texts, such as the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament ...

. Upon Aaron's death in 544, Malo continued the spiritual rule of the district subsequently known as

and was consecrated as the first Bishop of Aleth (now Saint Servan). Many miracles are related of him there. In old age, the disorder on the island compelled Malo to leave, but the people soon begged him to return. He obliged his people and returned to restore order. Feeling at the end of his life, Malo was determined to spend his last days in solitary penance. He died at an advanced age during a voyage from Aleth to Archambiac (near Archingeay) in the province of Saintonge. Malo might have died on 15 November 621 (although this may be the death date of Saint Marcoult).

Veneration

The city of

is one of the seven stages in the '' Tro Breizh'' ("Tour of Brittany", in Breton), a pilgrimage celebrating the seven founding saints of Brittany. Indirectly, the Spanish name of the

Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands (; ), commonly referred to as The Falklands, is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and from Cape Dub ...

, ''Islas Malvinas'', can be traced to Malo, as it is derived from the French, ''Îles Malouines'' and named by

Louis Antoine de Bougainville Louis-Antoine, Comte de Bougainville (; 12 November 1729 – 31 August 1811) was a French military officer and explorer. A contemporary of the British explorer James Cook, he served in the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. B ...

in 1764 after the first known settlers: mariners, and fishermen from the port of Saint-Malo. Pontoise Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Malo. Lesmahagow Priory in

South Lanarkshire South Lanarkshire (; ) is one of 32 unitary authorities of Scotland. It borders the south-east of the Glasgow City council area and contains some of Greater Glasgow's suburban towns, as well as many rural towns and villages. It also shares bor ...

is also dedicated to him in the Latin form of his name, Machutus. He is the patron saint of the churches of St. Maughans and Llanfaenor in

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South East Wales, south east of Wales. It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the s ...

and Llanfechell in

Anglesey Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...

. The place-name Saint-Maclou also refers to him.

Notes

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Malo 520 births 621 deaths Medieval Breton saints Saint-Malo 7th-century Christian saints Voyagers in Celtic mythology Medieval Welsh saints Year of birth unknown 6th-century Breton people 7th-century Breton people