Saint Caradoc
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Caradoc or Caradog (died 1124) was a reclusive
Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...
priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...
, widely respected for his sanctity. An inquiry into his qualifications for sainthood was commissioned in 1200 and, although such inquiry did not proceed, he has long been venerated as if papally canonised. Prior to canonisation of the Forty Martyrs in 1970, he was regarded as the last Welshman to become a saint.


Recorded life

A native of
Brecknockshire Brecknockshire ( or ), also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon, was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was created in 1 ...
, Caradoc obtained a place at the court of
Rhys ap Tewdwr Rhys ap Tewdwr (c. 1040 – 1093) was a king of Deheubarth in Wales and member of the Dinefwr dynasty, a branch descended from Rhodri the Great. Following the Norman Conquest, he had to pay William the Conqueror to keep his kingdom, which lasted ...
who ruled much of
South Wales South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...
in the late eleventh century. At court he played several musical instruments, most notably the harp, and was admitted to considerable intimacy with Rhys. However, when he lost two of his master’s most valuable greyhounds, Rhys threatened him with mutilation and death. Caradoc responded by declaring “I will go and serve another Master who values men higher than hounds” and embarked upon a celibate and monastic life. Making a staff from his lance, he journeyed to
Llandaff Llandaff (; ; from 'church' and ''River Taff, Taf'') is a district, Community (Wales), community and coterminous electoral ward in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It was incorporated into the city in 1922. It is the seat of the Bisho ...
with some companions and there received the
clerical tonsure Tonsure () is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word ' (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in ...
from Bishop
Herewald __NOTOC__ Herewald was a medieval Bishop of Sherborne. Herewald was consecrated in 736. He died between 766 and 774.Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 222 Citations References * External links * Bishops ...
. For some time afterwards his devotions were conducted at the church of St Teilo (at what is now
Llandeilo Llandeilo () is a town and Community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire, Wales, situated where the River Towy is crossed by the A483 road, A483 on a 19th-century stone bridge. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census the community had ...
) but, seeking a more isolated place in which to practise his faith, he removed to the deserted shrine of
St Cenydd Saint Cenydd (Modern ; ;   century), sometimes anglicised as Saint Kenneth, was a Christian hermit on the Gower Peninsula in Wales, where he is credited with the foundation of the church at Llangennith. Legend Liturgical calendars a ...
at
Llangennech Llangennech (; ) is a village and community (Wales), community in the area of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales, which covers an area of . It is governed by Llangennech Community Council and Carmarthenshire County Council. Llangennech is also t ...
. There he cleared the thorns and thistles from a site next to the burial-ground and constructed a dwelling that served as his first oratory. His reputation for sanctity became widespread and he went to
St David’s St Davids or St David's (, ,  "David's house”) is a cathedral city in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It lies on the River Alun and is part of the community of St Davids and the Cathedral Close. It is the resting place of Saint David, Wales's pat ...
(then known as Meneva) either in response to a summons from Bishop
Bernard Bernard ('' Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It has West Germanic origin and is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''be ...
or in submission to divine instruction. At St David’s he was ordained a priest and displayed supposed healing powers when, by a touch of his hand, the
edema Edema (American English), also spelled oedema (British English), and also known as fluid retention, swelling, dropsy and hydropsy, is the build-up of fluid in the body's tissue (biology), tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. S ...
of a young woman was dispersed. He next withdrew to “the island called Ary” on the
Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...
coast. After he and his companions were briefly carried off Ary by Norwegian pirates, Bishop Bernard appointed him to a more secure base at Haroldston St Issells in the cartref of Rhos where he remained from about 1105 until his death. He is sometimes spoken of as “Caradoc of Rhos”. The thirteenth century parish church of
Lawrenny Lawrenny is a village and parish in the community and electoral ward of Martletwy in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is on a peninsula of the River Cleddau estuary upriver from Milford Haven where it branches off towards the Cresswell and ...
, about eight miles from Haroldston by river route, is dedicated to him. During his time in Rhos, the local countryside was, at the instigation of
Henry I Henry I or Henri I may refer to: :''In chronological order'' * Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936) * Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955) * Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) * Henry I of France (1008–1060) * Henry ...
, increasingly settled by
Flemish Flemish may refer to: * Flemish, adjective for Flanders, Belgium * Flemish region, one of the three regions of Belgium *Flemish Community, one of the three constitutionally defined language communities of Belgium * Flemish dialects, a Dutch dialec ...
immigrants. Influential among these was one Tancred who built, near Haroldston, a castle that became the nucleus for the town of
Haverfordwest Haverfordwest ( , ; ) is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales, and the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire with a population of 14,596 in 2011. It is also a Community (Wales), community consisting of 12,042 people, making it the secon ...
. Tancred and his wife sent Caradoc frequent gifts of food, and these were carried to Haroldston by their son Richard FitzTancred who hunted in the district. Caught in a downpour of rain during one hunt, Richard sought shelter with Caradoc but, despite much shouting and coaxing, was unable to persuade his hounds to enter the holy man’s habitation. However, by a slight gesture of his hand Caradoc drew the dogs into his home.


Death and bodily remains

It is said that, in April 1124 while he was preparing for
Easter Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...
, two men in glittering stoles entered his church; between them they carried a golden altar on which was written “Follow us, we have meat to eat that thou knowest not of.” To Caradoc’s question of when he would feast with them, they replied that it would be “at the Lamb’s high banquet.” He was taken with fever four days later and died on
Low Sunday The Second Sunday of Easter is the eighth day of the Christian season of Eastertide, and the seventh after Easter Sunday. It is known by various names, including Divine Mercy Sunday, the Octave Day of Easter, White Sunday (), Quasimodo Sunday, Bri ...
. His last wish was to be buried at St David’s (which in the previous year had been declared a centre of pilgrimage for the Western world) but his body was seized by Tancred. Tancred promptly fell ill and, fearing his sickness was retribution for the seizure, ordered release of the corpse; he immediately recovered but it was only after this sequence of events had been twice repeated that Caradoc’s remains proceeded to St David’s. As the funeral cortege crossed
Newgale Newgale () is a village with an almost stretch of beach in the parish of Roch, Pembrokeshire, West Wales. The beach is situated in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path and has rugged coastal scenery with the ...
Sands, torrential rainfall caused the whole countryside to run with water; it was afterwards said that when those in the funeral retinue emerged from shelter they found Caradoc’s
bier A bier is a stand on which a corpse, coffin, or casket containing a corpse is placed to lie in state or to be carried to its final disposition.''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language'' (American Heritage Publishing Co., In ...
, which was covered by a silken pall, to be completely dry. The body was first interred with great honour in the left aisle of the church at St David’s beside the altar of the protomartyr
St Stephen Stephen (; ) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity."St ...
. A few years later it was exhumed for transfer to a newly-built church in the settlement and was reportedly found in a remarkable state of preservation, “uncorrupt and undefiled”. Among those witnessing this was
William of Malmesbury William of Malmesbury (; ) was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. He has been ranked among the most talented English historians since Bede. Modern historian C. Warren Hollister described him as "a gifted historical scholar and a ...
who, overcome by devotion, tried to break off a finger from Caradoc’s hand; by William’s own account he was terrified when, as he unclasped the closed fist into an open palm, the whole hand withdrew into the sleeve of Caradoc’s funeral shroud. In his ''
Itinerarium Cambriae The ''Itinerarium Cambriae'' ("The Itinerary Through Wales") is a medieval account of a journey made by Gerald of Wales, written in Latin. Gerald was selected to accompany the Archbishop of Canterbury, Baldwin of Forde, on a tour of Wales in 1 ...
'' of 1191,
Gerald of Wales Gerald of Wales (; ; ; ) was a Cambro-Norman priest and historian. As a royal clerk to the king and two archbishops, he travelled widely and wrote extensively. He studied and taught in France and visited Rome several times, meeting the Pope. He ...
reported that in their new resting place Caradoc’s remains were “the cause of many miracles, and so it will continue to be in the future”. Nevertheless, in 1538 Bishop William Barlow, seeking to suppress what he regarded as idolatry, had all saintly relics cleared from their shrines in St David’s Cathedral. In 1866, during restoration work at the Cathedral, what were thought to be the bones of three humans were discovered behind a blocked-up recess. The bones were subsequently placed in a casket and buried beneath the Cathedral’s floor, and in the 1920s a belief sprang up that they might be the remains of Saints
David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...
,
Justinian of Ramsey Island Saint Justinian () was a 6th-century hermit who lived on Ramsey Island, near St. David's, in the Welsh county of Pembrokeshire. Traditional life Tradition states that he was a Breton nobleman who settled on the island of Ramsey as a hermit. Jus ...
and Caradoc. The belief persisted and in the 1990s the casket was disinterred so that the bones might be subjected to radiocarbon dating. This process established them to be, by several centuries, of more recent origin than the time of Saints David and Justinian but they included the bones of “an 11th or 12th century man who ate a lot of fish” – allowing, it was said, the possibility that this was Caradoc.


Investigation for sainthood

In May 1200 Gerald of Wales obtained from
Pope Innocent III Pope Innocent III (; born Lotario dei Conti di Segni; 22 February 1161 – 16 July 1216) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 until his death on 16 July 1216. Pope Innocent was one of the most power ...
a letter commissioning inquiry into the qualifications for canonisation of “the Venerable Caradog whose honourable behaviour during his life and the miracles performed after his death have long since come to the notice of the Holy See”. The commissioners appointed were the Abbots of
Whitland Whitland (, , or , , from the medieval ) is a town and Community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Geography The Whitland Community (Wales), community is bordered by the communities of: Henllanfallteg; Llanboidy; and Eglwyscummin, a ...
,
St Dogmaels St Dogmaels () is a village, parish and community (Wales), community in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the estuary of the River Teifi, a mile downstream from the town of Cardigan, Ceredigion, Cardigan in neighbouring Ceredigion. A little to the nor ...
, and
Strata Florida Strata Florida Abbey (; ) is a former Cistercian abbey situated just outside Pontrhydfendigaid, near Tregaron in the county of Ceredigion, Wales. The abbey was founded in 1164. After the region around St Davids was firmly occupied by the Norman ...
, but the first two of these procured the suppression of the letter on account of their jealousy of Gerald’s claims to the St David’s bishopric, and the inquiry did not proceed. In his ''Epistola ad capitulum Herfordense de libris a se scriptis'', Gerald claimed to have written a Life of Saint Caradoc (''Vita Sancti Karadoci''). Probably compiled in support of the canonisation initiative, this has not survived, but the biographical accounts of Caradoc in '' Nova Legenda Angliae'' and ''
Acta Sanctorum ''Acta Sanctorum'' (''Acts of the Saints'') is an encyclopedic text in 68 folio volumes of documents examining the lives of Christian saints, in essence a critical hagiography, organised by the saints' feast days. The project was conceived and ...
'' may be excerpts from it.


Reputation and legacy

When his remains were removed to a new resting place, probably during the 1130s, Caradoc was a widely venerated figure, as evident from William of Malmesbury’s recorded presence at the translation. According to Sir John Lloyd, the holy man’s “learning” had been renowned throughout Wales some two decades earlier, but this assertion seems to rely on his being “Magister Caradog… the most learned in all Wales, skilled in the knowledge of both ancient and modern law,” who had visited
Bardsey Island Bardsey Island (), known as the legendary "Island of 20,000 Saints", is located off the Llŷn Peninsula in the Wales, Welsh county of Gwynedd. The Welsh language, Welsh name means "The Island in the Currents", while its English name refers to t ...
around 1115. Such identification is most probably erroneous, and other sources suggest Caradoc’s reputation during his lifetime was limited to his religious devotion, perhaps coupled with healing powers. Indications of the manner in which he practised his devotion vary. In the Welsh language, he is styled Caradog Fynach, that is “Caradog the Monk”, emphasising his membership of a religious community. Perhaps more frequently, as in ''Nova Legenda Angliae'' and ''Acta Sanctorum'', he is described as a
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 ...
, but accounts of his life before 1105 reveal that he lived with “companions” and, if he was truly the “Magister Caradog” who visited Bardsey, his purpose there was to rescue the local hermit from eremitic life. Sir John Lloyd, Caradoc’s principal modern biographer, categorised him as a recluse. Folklore supplements ancient record in present-day portrayal of Caradoc and, though the saint was once a musician at the court of a Welsh prince, there is no authority for claiming he afterwards enjoyed celebrity as a harpist. The suggestion that he possessed “unusual power over the lower animals” probably has no greater justification than his mustering of Richard FitzTancred’s hounds. Nevertheless he is now widely regarded as the patron saint of harpists and of dog-lovers. What is believed to be Caradoc’s tomb is behind the choir-stalls and open to the north transept of the present St David’s Cathedral. Between the shelf and the arch of the tomb is a tapestry embroidered with symbols and images traditionally associated with the saint. A 13th century calendar of saints in the Cotton MSS indicates that Caradoc was originally venerated on 14 April, but his feast-day is now 13 April which is traditionally said to have been the day of his death. He is commemorated in the name of one of the three houses to which pupils are allocated under the house system at
Rougemont School Rougemont School (Welsh: ''Ysgol Rougemont'') is a private co-educational day school located in the manor house Llantarnam Hall located between Newport and Cwmbran, South Wales. The school offers education for three to eighteen year-olds. The c ...
in Monmouthshire.Rougemont School: Our School: School Years: Seniors: House System
/ref>


Notes


References


External links


John Edward Lloyd’s ''History of Wales''.Archived web page for Lawrenny Village Church.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Caradoc Welsh Roman Catholic saints 12th-century Christian saints 1124 deaths Year of birth unknown