Saints

Monk, and gifted musician. Tutilo was an Irish monk who lived in the late ninth and early tenth centuries. He was educated at the Benedictine monastery of Saint-Gall in Switzerland. A good-humoured person of many talents, he was a poet, portrait painter, sculptor, orator, architect and mechanic. But his greatest talent was music. He could play all the instruments known to the monks. Together wit... Read More

Hermit. Born in Asyut, Egypt, in 304, John was a carpenter. When he was 25 he went out into the desert to pray and was to became one of the most famous hermits of his time. For ten years he was the disciple of an elderly hermit. St John called him his 'spiritual father.' After the older monk's death, St John spent four or five years in various monasteries. Finally, he found a cave high in the roc... Read More

These sixth century saints were the parents of Cadoc, one of the early founders of monasticism in South Wales. They are also one of very few married couples to be canonised. Gwynllyw was a chieftain. His wife Gwladys also came from an aristocratic family. Much of their life was spent fighting neighbouring tribes, but their son Cadoc converted them to Christianity and they became devout followers... Read More