Saint Sithney (Latin: Sidinius; br, Sezni Saint; date unknownSaint Patrick Catholic Church: Saint of the Day, August 4
Retrieved 2012-02-26.) was a sub-Roman Celtic saint active in Cornwall and Brittany. He is the

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholic Church, Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocacy, advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, ...

of mad dogs. A Breton folk story, an adaptation of a tale associated with

Ciarán of Saigir Ciarán of Saigir (5th century – ), also known as Ciarán mac Luaigne or Saint Kieran ( cy, Cieran), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is considered the first saint to have been born in Ireland,''Catholic Online''St. Kier ...

, states that God asked Sithney to be the patron saint of girls seeking husbands, but Sithney said he would rather be the patron saint of mad dogs and get some rest. He is the patron saint of

Sithney Sithney ( kw, Merthersydhni) is a village and civil parish in West Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Sithney is north of Porthleven. The population including Boscadjack and Crowntown at the 2011 census was 841. It is named after Saint Sithney ...

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlan ...

, United Kingdom], and is invoked for help against rabies and mad dogs, and for healing of mad dogs. He was also venerated at

Guissény Guissény (; ) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. Geography Guissény is a coastal town lying in the English Channel, it is part of the "Pays de pagan", limited to the northeast by a marine gulf, the ...

, Brittany, and at a number of other places in Brittany. The legends of St Sezni were compiled by

Albert Le Grand Albert Le Grand (1599 in Morlaix – 1641 in Rennes) was a Breton hagiographer and a Dominican brother. Biography He made his profession in the Rennes monastery before being assigned to that in his hometown in 1622 or 1623. Born Jean Le ...

in 1636 and a Breton translation of this was published in 1848 as ''Buez Sant Sezny''.

William Worcester William Worcester, also called William of Worcester, William Worcestre or William Botoner (1415) was an English topographer, antiquary and chronicler. Life He was a son of another William of Worcester, a Bristol whittawer (worker in white leat ...

recorded in 1478 that the body of the saint lay within the church of Sithney.''The Cornish Church Guide'' (1925) Truro: Blackford; p. 195

References

External links

Saint Sithney
at Saints.SQPN.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Sithney Medieval Breton saints Medieval Cornish saints Burials in Cornwall