Who was Saint Pardarn?
St Padarn's Church, Llanbadarn Fawr
The anonymous author tells us that Padarn's parents were nobly born Armoricans (Bretons), and that he sailed to Britain with 847 monks to settle and build a monastery. He established monasteries and churches throughout Ceredigion. The attempt of Maelgwn, king of Gwynedd, to ruin Padarn rebounds on him through a miracle, and he compensates Padarn with the gift of lands between the rivers Rheidol and Clarach. Saint Padarn is closely associated with Saint David and Saint Teilo in a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in which the three are honoured by the Patriarch. Padarn was given a tunic – which later featured in the best known legend associated with him – and a staff. Most likely this account is fabricated, as are much of the details of the lives of the early saints, from a variety of sources, real and imagined.
Ruadhán of Lorrha
St. Ruadán mac Fergusa Birn, also known Rowan, Ruadon, Roadan, Rodon and Rodan, was an Irish Christian abbot who founded the monastery of Lorrha ("Lothra", County Tipperary, Ireland), near Terryglass. He was known for his prophesies. After his death, he was venerated as a saint and as one of the "Twelve Apostles of Ireland". His feast day is April 15.
Saran mac Cáelbad
Sárán was Chief of the Dál nAraidi during the time of Saint Patrick. He was seemingly known as a blood thirsty warrior who terrorised the kingdom of Dál nAraidi, killing and enslaving many people and criticizing St.Patrick. Olcán, an Irish saint with a monastery at Armoy, agreed to baptise Saranto save lives . It infuriated St Patrick that Olcan would baptise such a remorseless enemy to Christianity. Patrick prophesied that day that Olcan’s monastery would drown in blood, lose its honor, and be destroyed three times. Eerily, the Irish historical annals record that the Armoy monastery was indeed raided by a King of Dál Riata, later by Cucuaran, and finally by Eochaid, who burned it down, leaving only the stump of its round tower.
Saint Elphin
Elphin of Warrington (died 679) was a Christian saint who lived in the North West of England in the 7th century, and is considered the patron saint of the town of Warrington. 
Little is known about his life, but according to tradition he was a companion of Saint Oswald at Iona. When Oswald became King of Northumbria and moved his country residence to Makerfield, Elphin accompanied him and Oswald built a wooden church for him on the site of the present parish church in Warrington. The Domesday Book also describes two carucates of land in the Hundred of Newton-in-Makerfield as belonging to St. Elphin. He was martyred in 679.
François de Pâris
François de Pâris (3 June 1690 – 1 May 1727) was a French Catholic deacon and theologian, a supporter of Jansenism. He became deacon of the Oratory of St. Magloire and was noted for his critique of the papal bull "Unigenitus", which condemned Pasquier Quesnel's annotated translation of the Bible. He gave his earnings to the poor, and in his retirement he lived in a state of extreme poverty. After his death, his place of burial gained a reputation for supernatural events and the basis of the Convulsionnaires of Saint-Médard where he is buried. In 1731 there was a movement by the Jansenists to canonize François de Pâris as a saint in acknowledgement of the miracles said to have been performed there and Cardinal Archbishop Louis Antoine de Noailles, who had investigated several of the reports in 1728, had begun the beatification process.
Padstow
Padstow was originally named "Petroc-stow", Petroc-stowe, or 'Petrock's Place', after the Welsh missionary Saint Petroc, who landed at Trebetherick around AD 500. After his death a monastery (Lanwethinoc, the church of Wethinoc, an earlier holy man) was established here which was of great importance until "Petroces stow" (probably Padstow) was raided by the Vikings in 981, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Whether as a result of this attack or later, the monks moved inland to Bodmin, taking with them the relics of St Petroc. The cult of St Petroc was important both in Padstow and Bodmin.
Saint Pyr
He been described as being "an unsuitable abbot and...one of those Celtic 'saints' who would never have been canonized by any formal process" (Farmer, 409). Little is known about him apart from the fact that he was titular of Caldey Island (Welsh "Ynys Bŷr" "Pŷr's Island"). Pyr is said to have become so drunk one night that on the way back to his cell he fell into a well. He died soon after being pulled out. He was replaced as abbot by Samson, who resigned in disgust when he found that the young monks had become ungovernable due to the laxity of Pyr's rule.
Dominique Parrenin
Dominique Parrenin or Parennin 巴多明 (Chinese name) (1 September 1665, at Russey, near Besançon – 29 September 1741, at Beijing) was a French Jesuit missionary to China.
Saint Pardus
Saint Pardus (; 6th century - 7th century) is a Roman Catholic saint associated with Larino in Italy. Larino Cathedral is dedicated to him.
Maël (saint)
Maël was a fifth-century Breton saint who lived as a hermit in Wales. He was a follower of Cadfan from Brittany to Wales, ultimately to the Isle of Bardsey. His feast day is 13 May.
Saint Isidora
Saint Isidora or Isidore (Saint Isidora the Simple, Saint Isidora of Tabenna, Saint Isidora of Egypt, Isidora the Fool of Egypt, Saint Isidora Fool for Christ, Blessed Isidora the Fool of Tabenna in Egypt) was a Christian nun and saint of the 4th century AD. She is considered among the earliest fools for Christ. While very little is known of Isidora’s life, she is remembered for her exemplification of the writing of St. Paul that “Whosoever of you believes that he is wise by the measure of this world, may he become a fool, so as to become truly wise.”. The story of Isidora effectively highlights the Christian ideal that recognition or glory from man is second to one’s actions being seen by God, even if that means one’s actions or even one’s self remains unknown or misunderstood. This ideal was extremely important to the early Desert Fathers and Mothers who recorded Isidora’s story.
Cadoc
Saint Cadoc or Cadog (; also ; born or before) was a 5th–6th-century Abbot of Llancarfan, near Cowbridge in Glamorganshire, Wales, a monastery famous from the era of the British church as a centre of learning, where Illtud spent the first period of his religious life under Cadoc's tutelage. Cadoc is credited with the establishment of many churches in Cornwall, Brittany Dyfed and Scotland. He is known as "Cattwg Ddoeth", "the Wise", and a large collection of his maxims and moral sayings were included in Volume III of the Myvyrian Archaiology. He is listed in the 2004 edition of the Roman Martyrology under 21 September. His Norman-era "Life" is a hagiography of importance to the case for the historicity of Arthur as one of seven saints' lives that mention Arthur independently of Geoffrey of Monmouth's "Historia Regum Britanniae".
Celtic Christianity
According to Bede, Saint Ninian was born about 360, in what is present day Galloway, the son of a chief of the Novantae, apparently a Christian. He studied under Martin of Tours before returning to his own land about 397. He established himself at Whithorn where he built a church of stone, "Candida Casa". Tradition holds that Ninian established an episcopal see at the Candida Casa in Whithorn, and named the see for Saint Martin of Tours. He converted the southern Picts to Christianity, and died around 432. Many Irish saints trained at the "Candida Casa", such as Tigernach of Clones, Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, and Finnian of Movilla. Ninian's work was carried on by Palladius, who left Ireland to work among the Picts.The mission to the southern Picts apparently met with some setbacks, as Patrick charged Coroticus and the "apostate Picts" with conducting raids on the Irish coast and seizing Christians as slaves. Ternan and Saint Serf followed Palladius. Serf was the teacher of Saint Mungo, the apostle of Strathclyde, and patron saint of Glasgow.
Nathalan
Nathalan (or "Nachlan"), (died 678) is a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, who was active in the district now known as Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He is also known by the names Saint Nachlan and Saint Nauchlan.
Geoffrey Parrinder
Geoffrey Parrinder (April 10, 1910 – June 16, 2005) was a professor of Comparative Religion at King's College London, a Methodist minister, and the author of over 30 books. At least one book, "What World Religions Teach Us" (1968), was considered a bestseller.
Pardulphus
He was born at Sardent, from a family of peasants. His legend states that he was a shepherd who decided to live as a hermit after experiencing a terrible storm. The count of Lantaire had built a monastery at Guéret. Pardulphus joined this monastery, later serving as its abbot. He followed strict penances, never keeping himself warm, and only eating once a week. He is alleged to have rejected heat from any source but the rays of the sun. However, as he grew old he did occasionally make use of “hot stones” to keep himself warm. He rejected the consumption of all poultry, eating only the mushrooms the local peasants brought him. 
The "Vita Pardulfi" records a miracle performed by Pardulphus. Some carpenters were cutting wood with which to build the church of Saint-Aubin at Guéret. After they loaded the wood onto carts and returned to the building works, it was determined that the wood was too short. The carpenters’ superintendent wished to have the carpenters whipped in punishment for this, but Pardulphus intervened with a miracle that made the wood the right size and even surpassed the intended length. As a result, the excess wood was sawn off and hung in the church as an object of veneration.
Paridhi
Paridhi is also referred to as Parudhi in olden manuscripts. From the works of Tudisai Kilar, Paridhi's home town is known to be Tirupparudhi Niyamam in the present-day Tanjavur district, where the presiding deity is Parudhiyappar (hence the name Parudhi). He belonged to the Saivite sect of the Brahmin caste. He is believed to have lived around the 11th century CE. He lived before Parimelalhagar. Paridhi had a scholarly knowledge in Sanskrit and Tamil and possessed a good worldly knowledge. He is believed to have written the commentary in his old age.
Duran Sartor de Paernas
Duran Sartor de Paernas or Duran Sartre de Carpentras (fl. c. 1210–50) was a Provençal troubadour from Pernes near Carpentras. The nickname "sartor" means "tailor". Two "sirventes" have been attributed to him, both reflect opposition to the royal crusade in Occitania: "Vil sirventes leugier e venassal" was written towards 1210, certainly before 1220, and "En talent ai qu'un sirventes encoc," which was written in 1242, during the Saintonge War. Although Duran criticises the crusade against alleged heretics, he encourages further efforts at crusading against Muslims.
Cadfael
Brother Cadfael is the main fictional character in a series of historical murder mysteries written between 1977 and 1994 by the linguist-scholar Edith Pargeter under the name "Ellis Peters". The character of Cadfael himself is a Welsh Benedictine monk living at the Abbey of St Peter and St Paul, in Shrewsbury, western England, in the first half of the 12th century. The historically accurate stories are set between about 1135 and about 1145, during "The Anarchy", the destructive contest for the crown of England between King Stephen and Empress Maud.
St Padarn's Church, Llanbadarn Fawr
Following the general custom of Europe in the late classical and early Middle Ages, he was popularly recognised after his death as a saint, along with several hundred other Welsh men and women. But the date and circumstances of the foundation of the church, and of Padarn's life were long forgotten when it was decided in the twelfth century that he should be commemorated in a "Vita" or Latin "Life", following the example of the "Life of St David" written at Llanbadarn about 1090. That in turn had followed a European tradition of writing such "lives". They are not biographies as we understand them today. Instead they were hagiographies, designed to elevate the saint's status as a holy person of miraculous achievements.
Saint-Pardoux-la-Rivière
The occitan "Sent Pardol" is derived from "Saint Pardulphus" ("Sanctus Pardulphus"), "la ribiera" means "the river", i.e. the Dronne.
Pars (Sasanian province)
Ardashir I's conquest of Pars started from the early 200s and ended in ca. 223; the province was originally divided between several local rulers, who were vassals of the Parthian Empire. Ardashir's conquest began when he succeeded Tiri as the "argbed" (fortress commander) of the castle of Darabgerd. From there he marched to the nearby place of Gobanan, where he killed its king, Pasin. He thereafter marched to a place named Konus and killed its king, Manuchihr. He then invaded Lurwir and killed its king, Dara. In ca. 205/6, Ardashir urged his father Papak to revolt and kill Gochihr, the powerful ruler of Istakhr; Papak successfully managed to do that, but appointed his other son Shapur as his heir, which enraged Ardashir and made him fortify himself in another place in Pars, where he later founded Gor.
Paridhi
Paridhi (c. 11th century CE), also referred to as Paridhiyaar, was a Tamil literary commentator known for his commentary on the "Thirukkural". He was among the canon of ten medieval commentators of the Kural text most highly esteemed by scholars. He was also among the five ancient commentators whose works had been preserved and made available to the Modern era, the others being Manakkudavar, Pari Perumal, Kaalingar, and Parimelalhagar.
St Padarn's Church, Llanbadarn Fawr
Even if much of the history of Saint Padarn and the early years of his church cannot be relied upon as accurate (and there is evidence that it conflates several near-contemporary individuals), there can be no doubt of his importance as one of the leading evangelists of Wales in the early sixth century, and the ongoing importance of his "clas".
Jordan of Laron
In September 1027, Jordan and his mother made a donation to the almonry of the abbey of Saint-Martial. On 15 July 1028, according to Geoffrey of Vigeois, Jordan consecrated the monastery of Saint-Pardulf d'Arnac. On 3 September he may have consecrated the cathedral to Saint Stephen.
Ciarán of Saigir
Ciarán of Saigir (5th century – ), also known as Ciarán mac Luaigne or Saint Kieran (), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is considered the first saint to have been born in Ireland, although the legend that he preceded Saint Patrick is questionable. Ciarán was bishop of Saighir (Seir-Kieran) and remains the patron saint of its successor, the diocese of Ossory.
Auchenblae
The current parish church, on the opposite side of the Luther Water was built next to an older chapel dedicated to St. Palladius and was formerly known as Fordoun Parish Church. This location, known as at Kirkton of Fordoun was the birthplace of the chronicler John of Fordun (before 1360 – c. 1384) and has been a religious site since the 7th century. The bones of St Palladius were brought to Auchenblae. There is a Pictish cross slab, the Fordoun Stone, in the kirk's vestibule. In the graveyard is the ancient ruin of St Palladius' Chapel and there is a memorial to Scotland's first Protestant martyr George Wishart, born at Mains of Pittarrow in the old parish of Fordoun and burnt at the stake under the orders of Cardinal Beaton in St Andrews.
Saint Paternian
Paternian was born at Fano around 275 AD. An angel told him in a vision to escape this city and hide out in a deserted place near the Metauro River. He became a hermit and the abbot of a monastery. Later, when the persecution of Christians stopped, the citizens of Fano demanded that he become their bishop. Paternian governed the city for many years. He died on November 13, around 360 AD. Miracles were reported at his tomb and his cult spread rapidly.
St Padarn's Church, Llanbadarn Fawr
Very little is known of Saint Padarn (or Paternus to use his Latin name), and almost nothing with any degree of certainty; the earliest literary reference to him is by Rhygyfarch in about 1097. However, it is possible to construct a general outline of his life from the little that we do have.
Celtic Christianity
A Welshman of noble birth, Saint Petroc was educated in Ireland. He set out in a small boat with a few followers. In a type of "peregrinatio", they let God determine their course. The winds and tides brought them to the Padstow estuary. Kevin of Glendalough was a student of Petroc. Saint Endelienta was the daughter of the Welsh king Brychan. She also travelled to Cornwall to evangelize the locals. Her brother Nectan of Hartland worked in Devon. Saint Piran is the patron saint of tin miners. An Irishman, he is said to have floated across to Cornwall after being thrown into the sea tied to a millstone. He has been identified on occasion with Ciarán of Saigir.
Saint Patrick
Irish academic T. F. O'Rahilly proposed the "Two Patricks" theory, which suggests that many of the traditions later attached to Saint Patrick actually concerned the aforementioned Palladius, who Prosper of Aquitaine's "Chronicle" says was sent by Pope Celestine I as the first bishop to Irish Christians in 431. Palladius was not the only early cleric in Ireland at this time. The Irish-born Saint Ciarán of Saigir lived in the later fourth century (352–402) and was the first bishop of Ossory. Ciaran, along with saints Auxilius, Secundinus and Iserninus, is also associated with early churches in Munster and Leinster. By this reading, Palladius was active in Ireland until the 460s.
Padarn
In the "Vita Sancti Paterni" Padarn travels on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem with Saint David and Saint Teilo for all three to be ordained bishops by the patriarch. Along the way they acquired the gift of tongues so that whomever they spoke to understood them in his own language. The patriarch gave Paternus two gifts, a crozier and a finely woven tunic. On their return, they amicably divided Britannia into three bishoprics.
St. Martin's Day
Saint Martin of Tours was a Roman soldier who was baptised as an adult and became a bishop in a French town. The most famous legend concerning him was that he had once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the latter from the cold. That night, he dreamt of Jesus, wearing the half-cloak and saying to the angels, "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is now baptised; he has clothed me." Saint Martin died on November 8, 397.
Llanedeyrn
The name "Llanedeyrn" is believed to be derived from a 6th-century prince and Celtic saint named St Edeyrn or Edern. During the 6th century, St Edeyrn and a fellow monk, St Isan, were given the task of spreading the faith and establishing places of worship. The first location chosen by the two monks was Llanishen. This name commemorates St Isan (Llan + Isan) and the other St Edeyrn ("Llan" means church or parish in the Welsh language). St Edeyrn was reputed to have travelled widely, and as a result there are churches in North and South Wales dedicated to his memory. St Edeyrn gathered together a community of about 300 that lived and worshipped in the Llanedeyrn area.
St Padarn's Church, Llanbadarn Fawr
Traditionally Padarn was said to come originally from Brittany, but he may have come from south-east Wales. He was said to be both abbot and bishop (the distinction was not so great then as it later became) for many years, and from his base at what is now known as Llanbadarn Fawr (great or high church of St Padarn) he evangelised the neighbouring countryside.
Walter Pardon
Walter Pardon (4 March 1914 – 9 June 1996) was an English carpenter and folk singer from Knapton, Norfolk, England. He learned songs and tunes from older members of his family and remembered and performed them at a time when most people of his generation were uninterested in traditional music. He was then able to pass his songs and tunes on to a new generation of folk music collectors and performers.
Saint Cadfan
Saint Cadfan (), sometimes Anglicized as Gideon, was the 6th century founder-abbot of Tywyn (whose church is dedicated to him) and Bardsey, both in Gwynedd, Wales. He was said to have received the island of Bardsey from Saint Einion Frenin, king of Llŷn, around 516 and to have served as its abbot until 542.
Cardiff
Saint Teilo (c. 500 – 9 February c. 560), is the patron saint of Cardiff. He was a British Christian monk, bishop, and founder of monasteries and churches. Reputed to be a cousin, friend, and disciple of Saint David, he was bishop of Llandaff and founder of the first church at Llandaff Cathedral, where his tomb is. His Saint's Day is ninth of February.
Saint Patrick
The Irish annals for the fifth century date Patrick's arrival in Ireland at 432, but they were compiled in the mid 6th century at the earliest. The date 432 was probably chosen to minimise the contribution of Palladius, who was known to have been sent to Ireland in 431, and maximise that of Patrick. A variety of dates are given for his death. In 457 "the elder Patrick" () is said to have died: this may refer to the death of Palladius, who according to the "Book of Armagh" was also called Patrick. In 461/2 the annals say that "Here some record the repose of Patrick"; in 492/3 they record the death of "Patrick, the arch-apostle (or archbishop and apostle) of the Scoti", on 17 March, at the age of 120.
Padarn
The British Padarn appears to be the same person as Saint Paternus of Avranches in Normandy. By tradition, it is said that he was born in Poitiers, became a monk at the in France, and retreated with his fellow monk, Saint Scubilion, to the in the diocese of Coutances before the Bishop of Coutances made him a priest in 512.
St Padarn's Church, Llanbadarn Fawr
There follow confusing episodes involving Brittany (sometimes called Letia). Padarn finally leaves for France, where he dies, but his remains are brought back and buried in Vannes. A final chapter tells how Padarn, David and Teilo divide south Wales into three episcopates, with Padarn as bishop of Ceredigion. Then, convinced by a miracle performed by Padarn, a local governor called Eithir is persuaded to give land between the rivers Rheidol and Paith to Padarn. The lands owned by Llanbadarn in the twelfth century were between the rivers Rheidol and Clarach. The Paith is a minor tributary of the River Ystwyth. The obscure figure of Eithyr is commemorated in the farm name of Llaneithr, which stands a mile east of Devil's Bridge near the river Mynach.
Conrad of Parzham
Saint Conrad of Parzham, O.F.M. Cap. (22 December 181821 April 1894), was a German Franciscan lay brother. He served for over 40 years in the post of porter of the Capuchin friary in Altötting, through which work he gained a widespread reputation for his wisdom and holiness. He has been declared a saint by the Catholic Church.
Tanwg
Saint Tanwg is said to have been the son of Ithel the Generous of Armorica and the cousin of St Cadfan. According to "Enwogion Cymru", he was 'a saint who lived in the early part of the sixth century. He was one of the sons of Ithel Hael and he accompanied St Cadfan from Armorica to Britain. (" Enwogion" says this was in the time of Vortigern "who procured wise men and divines from Gaul, now called France, to renovate Christianity in this Island, in consequence of the decay and failure that had befallen the faith in Christ" but this is impossible as Vortigern ruled from c425 to c474. Besides, he is not known to have favoured Christianity.) St Cadfan reportedly wasone of the founders of the college of Bardsey as a monastery in 516 AD and to have been Abbot there until 542. He was the brother of Sts. Baglan, Trillo, Tegai, Twrog, Tecwyn, Gredifael, Flewyn and Llechid, and is commemorated 10 October.
St Padarn's Church, Llanbadarn Fawr
In 1346 William Kilsby, rector, died, and King Edward III gave the advowson to his eldest son, the Black Prince. The latter made three presentations. One of these was to Thomas Bradwardine, later briefly Archbishop of Canterbury, who was rector of Llanbadarn Fawr 1347–1349.
Saint Gildard (Lurcy-le-Bourg)
Saint Gildard, or Saint Gildardus, is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. He was a priest in the seventh century of Lurcy-le-Bourg, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nevers. His name was in the convent of St. Gildard, which has now become Espace Bernadette, operated by the a small number of the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, and the final resting place of St. Bernadette Soubirous
Saint Piran
Saint Piran or Pyran (, ), died c. 480, was a 5th-century Cornish abbot and saint, supposedly of Irish origin. He is the patron saint of tin-miners, and is also generally regarded as the patron saint of Cornwall, although Saint Michael and Saint Petroc also have some claim to this title.
History of Patras
According to the Christian tradition, Saint Andrew came to Patras to preach Christianity during the reign of Emperor Nero and was crucified as a martyr. He is ever since considered to be the patron saint of the city. Two temples built in his honor, an old Byzantine-style basilica and a new monumental church, completed in the 1970s, mark the traditional place of his crucifixion. The new Saint Andrew Church is also the largest Orthodox church in the Balkins. Like Corinth, it was an early and effective centre of Christianity; its archbishop is mentioned in the lists of the Council of Sardica in 347.
St Padarn's Church, Llanbadarn Fawr
According to tradition, Padarn continued to preside over his see for twenty-one years, during which time he was said to have erected a number of churches and founded several monasteries in the province or lordship of Ceredigion, later Cardiganshire (and in modern times once again known as Ceredigion), where he placed colonies of monks from the principal establishment at Llanbadarn Fawr. His preaching throughout west Wales was attested to in the Welsh Triads. At the end of that period, possibly being recalled to Brittany, where he was made bishop of Vannes (though it is more than likely that this was a distinct individual), he was succeeded as abbot of the church at Llanbadarn Fawr and bishop of the proto-diocese, which was subsequently called, after its first bishop, "Paternensis," by Cynog. It has been suggested that St Padarn himself may have been buried on Bardsey Island, the legendary "Island of 20,000 saints". But as with any detail of his life, we cannot be certain. Gildas's "De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae" is, with Saint Patrick's somewhat earlier "Confessio", almost the only contemporary source for this period.
Padarn
Around the year 524 Padarn traveled to join his father in Ireland. He joined a fellowship of monks led by his cousin, St. Cadvan, who were travelling to Britannia. At this time, as in many saints' lives of the era, there appears to be an aristocratic military function in Padarn's career, for among the travellers were Padarn's cousins, who appointed him as the fourth leader of the troop, saying "you should rule over people for example of life".
Maddalena Panattieri
Blessed Maddalena Panattieri (1443 – 13 October 1503) was an Italian Roman Catholic professed religious and a professed member of the Sisters of Penance of Saint Dominic since her late adolescence. Panattieri was a stigmatic and received visions during her life with one in particular being the French invasion of the Italian peninsula. She served as a catechist to children and was noted for her simple existence.
Henry Gravrand
Father Henry Gravrand (France, 1921 - Abbey of Latrun, Palestine, 11 July 2003) was a French Catholic missionary to Africa and an anthropologist who has written extensively on Serer religion and culture. He was one of the leading pioneers of interfaith dialog and believed that African religion was the "'first covenant between God and man". His works about the Serer people are cited by other historians and scholars writing on Serer history, religion and culture, for instance Martin A. Klein, Charles Becker, Alioune Sarr, Marguerite Dupire, Issa Laye Thiaw, etc. Papa Massène Sene argues that his approach lacks scientific rigor and include fundamental linguistic and historical errors. Alioune Sarr noted that Gravrand reported an oral tradition describing what he called the "Battle of Troubang", a dynastic war between the two maternal royal houses of Ñaanco and the Guelowar,an off-shot and relatives of the "Ñaanco" ("Nyanthio" or "Nyanco") maternal dynasty of Kaabu, in modern-day Guinea Bissau. According to Charles Becker, Gravrand is confusing a description of the 1867 (or 1865) Battle of Kansala.
Pardaillan
The Knight of Pardaillan is also a fictional character in the cloak and dagger novels "Les Pardaillan" by Michel Zévaco. A series which captured the attention of a young Jean-Paul Sartre, who describes his imagination as being suspended in his autobiography "The Words" between the famous tragedian Corneille and the knight-errant Pardaillan.
Aerdeyrn
Saint Aerdeyrn ( century) was a semi-legendary pre-congregational saint of Wales.
He was a descendant of Vortigern, making him related to the royal house of Powys. He was the brother of Saint Edeyrn and Elldeyrn with whom he is oft associated. His name was derived from the Celtic word for Prince. He built churches in Glamorgan and he is the patron Saint of Llanelldeyrn, Wales.
Mac Cairthinn of Clogher
Saint Mac Cairthinn, also Macartan, McCartan (died 506), is recognized as the first presiding Bishop of Clogher from 454 to his death. One of the earliest Christian saints in Ireland, he is known as Saint Patrick's "Threin Fhir", or "Strong Man" for his dedication and faithfulness to the fledgling Church. His feast day is 24 March.
Christianity in Cornwall
Like some other parts of Britain Cornwall derived much of its Christianity from post-Patrician Irish missions. Saint Ia of Cornwall and her companions, and Saint Piran, Saint Sennen, Saint Petroc, and the rest of the saints who came to Cornwall in the late 5th century and early 6th century found there a population which had perhaps relapsed into paganism under the pagan King Teudar. When these saints introduced, or reintroduced, Christianity, they probably brought with them whatever rites they were accustomed to, and Cornwall certainly had its own separate ecclesiastical quarrel with Wessex in the days of Saint Aldhelm, which, as appears by a statement in the "Leofric Missal", was still going on in the early 10th century, though the details of it are not specified.
Mydan
Saint Mydan was a legendary pre-congregational saint of medieval Wales known from only one seventeenth century manuscript. He was reputedly the son of Pasgen ab Urien Rheged, and brother of Saint Gwrfyw.
Saint Parthenius
Saint Parthenius (died 3rd century) was an early Christian saint and martyr from Rome of Armenian origin. He is venerated in both the Catholic and Orthodox churches. His brother was Saint Calocerus. He is the patron of Galicia and included in their list of Orthodox saints.
Louis de Pardaillan de Gondrin (1688–1712)
Louis de Pardaillan, Marquis of Gondrin (July 1688 – 22 February 1712) was a French nobleman. He was a grandson of Madame de Montespan. He was known as the "marquis de Gondrin" during his lifetime.
Ibar of Beggerin
Ibar mac Lugna, whose name is also given as Iberius or Ivor, was an early Irish saint, patron of Beggerin Island, and bishop. The saint is sometimes said to have been one of the ""Quattuor sanctissimi Episcopi"" ("The four most sacred bishops") said to have preceded Saint Patrick in Ireland (see also the saint Ailbe, Ciaran and Déclán), although possibly they were just contemporaries. His feast day is 23 April.
Saint Gildard (Lurcy-le-Bourg)
The Bollandists have little to say on the saint—he was a priest in the seventh century who "edified with his virtues the parish of Lurcy-le-Bourg."
Local historians agree that little is known of this saint and repeat what was written in Les Petits Bollandistes. The date of his death was 24 August, but because that day was already dedicated to Saint Bartholomew Gildard's feast day was moved to 31 August, and was celebrated on that day for three centuries, until in the Nevers area it was moved back to 24 August, according to Augustin-Joseph Crosnier, vicar-general of the Diocese of Nevers in the mid-nineteenth century. Crosnies also reports that an ancient ceremony directs that the celebration is to be accompanied with wine and warm bread rolls.
Paithan
Shri Santaji Jagnade (1624–1688) was one of fourteen cymbal players employed by Shri Tukaram Maharaja, a prominent Marathi Saint. Jagnade recorded several of Tukaram's Abhangs. He belonged to the Teli caste of oil producers[3] and is the only Saint from that caste. Jagnade was born and brought up in Sadumbare in the Maval tehsil in the Pune District. He was a Varkari, a vaishnav devotee of Lord Vitthal, who is supreme Lord Krishna Himself appearing as the King of Dwaraka. The address of his temple in Paithan is santaji chawk teli dharmshala Paithan. The founders of this temple are Mr. Pralhadseth Sidlambe, Mr. Kedarnath Dadarao Sarje .
Madron (saint)
Saint Madron was a Pre-Congregational Saint, monk and hermit.
He is honoured in Wales and Brittany, and in Cornwall at Madron Parish Church in the village of Madron. He also has a Holy well, noted for its healing powers.
Saint Gabhran
Gabhran was an Irish Christian saint who lived about 460 AD. His father was Dubhthach moccu Lughair, the Chief Ollam of Ireland. Gabhran’s brothers were all saints and founders of churches, mainly in Leinster. They included Fachtna of Kiltoom, Trian, Saint Euhel, Moninne, Lonan and Saint Molaisse Mac Lugair.
Saint Mirin
Saint Mirin or Mirren, an Irish monk and missionary (born c. 565; died c. 620), is also known as Mirren of Benchor (now called Bangor), Merinus, Merryn and Meadhrán. The patron saint of the town and Roman Catholic diocese of Paisley, Scotland, he was the founder of a religious community which grew to become Paisley Abbey. The shrine of this saint in the abbey became a centre of pilgrimage.
Polydore Plasden
Saint Polydore Plasden, one of the Catholic Forty Martyrs of England and Wales (died 1591). A native of London, he studied for the priesthood at Rheims and Rome and was ordained in 1586 before being sent back to England soon after.
Kildallan (townland)
The Life of Saint Máedóc of Ferns complied 1536, (Section 229), states- "Maedoc sent a messenger in haste to Cill Dalláin to fetch Dallan Forgall to be witness to his (testamentary) disposition and will in respect of his relics and high insignia,- and to the binding of his tribute and dues on the battalion of Aed Finn and on other families besides; for this man Dallan was a poet, a prophet, and a true saint; and moreover he was a favourite and faithful ally, a companion and friend of Maedoc, to say nothing of their relationship to one another, for Dallan and Maedoc were children of two brothers; to wit, Maedoc son of Setna, son of Erc and Dallan son of Colla, son of Erc. For these reasons Dallan came at the summons of the heavenly intensely devout saint, and elect compassionate cleric, to Rossinver where Maedoc was, and was with him for some time while he made known his disposition and will, and divided his bells and fair bachalls, and his glorious wonder-working relics, among his churches and chief cells, and further finally made known to Dallan the tribute due to him from (various) races, just as he had related and told to Ultan of Ardbreckan, who made a poetical explanation of it, in order to compose and adorn (the account of) it at the bidding of the patron and high saint and virgin bishop, for the man Ultan was a prophet and a poet". Section 246 states- "Dallan bade farewell to Maedoc on the spot, and proceeded to his own place, Cill Dalláin and was there till the end of the year approached of which Maedoc had spoken to him. And he was waiting for a reliable message to be brought to him from the true saint. Maedoc sent a hasty message to Dallan, and to all the saints and other patriarchs who were not on the spot, that they should come together in view of the death of the true saint and righteous man. They therefore gathered and assembled from every quarter in which they were, and came to Maedoc at Rossinver. When they came together, Maedoc was preparing himself to meet his death".
Pelor
A number of Pelor's followers have achieved deity or near-deity status, the most popular being Mayaheine, demigoddess of Protection, Justice, and Valor, and Saint Bane the Scourger, patron saint of those who hunt the undead. Another saint, Saint Jalnir the Gentle, was a half-orc priest. Saint Benedor of the Ashen Hand, patron of the Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom, was a famous Pelorian paladin and remains greatly revered by the Sun Lord's faithful. Saint Pentival was a foe of Acererak.
Cettin
Cettin also known as Saint Cettin of Oran or "Cethach, Cetagh" and "Cethagh" was a disciple of Saint Patrick. He helped St. Patrick in evangelizing in Ireland. St. Patrick consecrated him as an auxiliary bishop of Oran. He is believed to have died in 5th Century. His feast day is 16 June. His shrine at Oran, Co. Roscommon was a well known place of pilgrimage, and survived until the end of the eighteenth century.
Saint Ilar
Ilar is a very obscure saint and few details survive apart from his name. Surviving records name Saint Ilar as a Breton companion of Padarn and Cadfan's 6th-century mission to Wales. He may have come from Armorica. The parishes bearing his name are to the south of Tywyn (credited to Cadfan) but near some credited to Padarn. As a martyr, he may have been killed by the pagan Irish or Saxon invasions of the time.
Ludan
According to the hagiographic Dictionary of Saints published by the Benedictines of St. Augustine Abbey of Ramsgate (GB) and in accordance with the Roman Calendar, promulgated in 1969:
Saint Ludan, of his real name Loudain, died around 1202. The saint of this name who is venerated at Scherkirchen 2, Bas-Rhin, would be from Scotland or Ireland. Returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he would have died in France 3, celebrated on February 12.
Norbury, Derbyshire
Saint Barlock has been identified with Saint Finbarr, an Irish abbot and bishop of the 7th century and the patron saint of Cork. The dedication may arise from John Fitzherbert having been Governor of Waterford for 3 years c. 1174. Born in the second half of the 6th century, Finnbar was baptised Lochan, but was later called Fionn Barr or the "Fair-Headed One". His life was recorded in the manuscript "Lives of Finn Barr". The parish church of Fowey in Cornwall is dedicated to him, as St Fimbarrus. This Cornish church was built c. 1170 by William Fitzturold, the name of the patron saint being given as "Barrianus".
St Padarn's Church, Llanbadarn Fawr
Whilst the exact date Saint Padarn founded the church is uncertain, it seems clear however that Llanbadarn Fawr was an early sixth-century foundation, a Celtic "clas" church. The church may have been the seat of an abbot or bishop during the years immediately following Saint Padarn, who was traditionally said to be its first bishop (as a "clas" church, it was not a cathedral as we understand the term today, but closer to a collegiate church), nor did it necessarily possess any substantial buildings. It was one of the leading "clasau" of early Christian Wales, and the one we know most about, partly because of the significant role it played as a literary centre.
Pardon (ceremony)
Some Pardons are held during notable religious festivals, such as the Feast of the Assumption on August 15. The Pardons dedicated to the Virgin Mary are usually followed by those dedicated to Mary's mother Saint Anne, patron saint of Brittany. However, the majority honour local saints because of their patronage role to protect specific categories of people or activities. Thus there are Pardons dedicated to Saint Gildas at the beginning of June in Trégor, to Saint Guirec, patron of girls about to marry, and to the patron saints of individual parishes.
Tudwal
Saint Tudwal (died c. 564), also known as Tual, Tudgual, Tugdual, Tugual, Pabu, Papu, or Tugdualus (Latin), was a Breton monk. He is considered to be one of the seven founder saints of Brittany. Tudwal was said to be the son of Hoel Mawr (Hoel I). He travelled to Ireland to learn the scriptures, and then became a hermit on Saint Tudwal's Island East, off the coast of North Wales. Tudwal later immigrated to Brittany, settling in Lan Pabu with 72 followers, where he established a large monastery under the patronage of his cousin, King Deroch of Domnonée. Tudwal was made Bishop of Tréguier on the insistence of Childebert I, King of the Franks.
Hu Gadarn
Iolo's "Third Series" of triads were initially accepted as authentic, and were published in the influential collection known as "The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales". However, they are now known to be forgeries created by Iolo himself. Iolo wrote further about Hu in his "Barddas", supposedly an ancient collection of bardic lore, where he identifies Hu with the Gaulish god Esus and with Jesus. The 20th-century English author Robert Graves accepted Iolo's version of Hu Gadarn (and much of the rest of his work), and further identified Hu as a Welsh horned god, a variant of Cernunnos. In Graves' wake, Hu Gadarn has become a popular figure among Neopagans.
Saint Pardus
On his way to Lucera however Pardus spent three years in Larino, the ancient Larinum, where he preached the Gospel. The legend is that he was a little old man with a white beard, and was missing a thumb.
Pargadh
Paargad
Pardulphus
His feast day is October 6. A reliquary that contained his arm had been preserved at the church of Sardent. However, it is now found at the Museum of Fine Art at Guéret. A number of places in France, such as Saint-Pardoux-de-Drône, take their name from him.
Llangadfan
Llangadfan is home to St Cadfan's church, a medieval church whose original features have been obscured by a 19th century restoration. The church was originally said to have been established by Saint Cadfan (who had to flee under pressure from Franks with his companions) somewhere between 510 and 515, shortly before he departed and founded a monastery on Bardsey Island where he served as its abbot from 516–542. This church was the seat of the Parish of Llangadfan for centuries, then being part of the County of Montgomeryshire.
St Padarn's Church, Llanbadarn Fawr
Gerald tells us further that a Breton knight had come to the church for Mass and found a band of about twenty young men, all armed and equipped according to the local custom. He asked "which was the abbot, and they pointed out to him a man with a long spear in his hand, who was walking in front of the others". He then tells the story of the murder of a bishop of Llanbadarn, murdered by the predecessors of the present generation of clergy. We cannot be sure how much of this was true. But Gerald disapproved of married clergy (which had been declining generally though only finally abolished by Rome in the eleventh century and deplored in principle the inheritance of church office. But all he tells us of Llanbadarn is hearsay, apart from the name of the abbot. In any case, no move was made by Archbishop Baldwin in favour of reform: the Lord Rhys was with them, and they would not have wished to offend him. In any event, it would have been a matter for the Bishop of St David's, who was Peter de Leia. There is then no further information about Llanbadarn for nearly sixty years.
Saint Piran
Piran is the most famous of all the saints said to have come to Cornwall from Ireland. By at least the 13th century, since Brittonic languages and Goidelic languages regularly alternate p and k sounds (see the classification of Celtic languages for an explanation), he had become identified as the Irish Saint Ciarán of Saigir who founded the monastery at Seir-Kieran in County Offaly.
Pardon (ceremony)
The Pardons begin in March and end in October, but the majority of them are between Easter and Michaelmas. Traditionally pilgrims wore their best costumes, each diocese and parish having a distinctive style, and otherwise only worn at weddings. However, traditional Breton costume is now not typically worn, except at the Locronan Pardon, in honour of Saint Ronan. Penitents travel as a group in parishes, fraternities or other corporate bodies, bringing banners, crosses and other insignia in procession, each group competing with the others for grandeur. The leader of the Pardon, typically a high ranking ecclesiastic, has the title of "pardonnor". If relics are involved, he will normally carry them during part of the procession. For most of the pilgrimage, however, this honour falls to those who were considered to be worthiest of it by the various social groups represented.
South Petherwin
The Saint, Patern (or Padarn, Paternus) has had several candidates, which have become mixed and confused over the ages. It is believed that the actual St. Patern to which the Parishes of North and South Petherwin are dedicated, was actually the father of St. Constantine of Cornwall, a Cornish King who gave up his throne to become a monk. St. Patern and St. Constantine have thus always been linked, with dedications always being near one another (a Celtic practice when saints are related or work together) (St. Constantine Church at Milton Abbot being the case in point for South Petherwin).
Samson of Dol
Saint Samson of Dol (also Samsun; born late 5th century) was a Christian religious figure who is counted among the seven founder saints of Brittany with Pol Aurelian, Tugdual or Tudwal, Brieuc, Malo, Patern (Paternus) and Corentin. Born in southern Wales, he died in Dol-de-Bretagne, a small town in north Brittany.
Pardon (ceremony)
There are five major Pardons: Saint Yves at Tréguier, known as the "Pardon of the poor"; Our Lady of Rumengol, known as the "Pardon of the singers"; Saint-Jean-du-Doigt, near Morlaix, called the "Pardon of fire"; Saint Ronan, or the "Pardon of the mountain"; and Sainte Anne de la Palud, or the "Pardon of the sea". Very large pilgrimages are made to some Pardons, including those of St. Jean-du-Doigt and Sainte-Anne-d'Auray in Morbihan. The Locronan Pardon of Saint Ronan involves a "troménie" (a 12 km-long procession). The former occurs on 24 June, and that of Ste Anne d'Auray on 24 July, the anniversary of the finding of the miraculous statue of Saint Anne by the peasant Yves Nicolazic. The latter is regarded as the most famous pilgrimage in all Brittany, and attracts pilgrims from Tréguier, Léonnais, Cornouaille, and especially from Morbihan.
Saint Machar
A Bishop of Irish origin, Machar is said to have been a former nobleman, baptized by St Colman. He came to Iona with Columba and preached in Mull and later ministered to the Picts around Aberdeen. For this reason he was described anachronistically as the first Bishop of the see of Aberdeen. His legend, however, in the Aberdeen breviary makes him "Archbishop of Tours", appointed by Gregory the Great for the last few years of his life. This story deserves no credence. Water from his well was used for baptism in Aberdeen Cathedral. A few dedications survive from this area.
Palladius of Embrun
Saint Palladius of Embrun (, ) (d. ca. 541 AD) was a 6th-century bishop of Embrun. Born to a Christian family, he studied under Catulin, bishop of Embrun, who had attended the Council of Épaone in 517. When the Arians and Sigismund of Burgundy opposed the council, Catulin was exiled to Vienne. Palladius accompanied him there, and took the opportunity to extensively study Scripture. Palladius was ordained a priest and, according to legend, gained the gift of prophecy. He is said to have predicted the fall and death of Sigismund. Catulin died around 518, and Palladius would later be elected bishop of Embrun. During his episcopate he built numerous churches, in Chorges, Sauze, and Rama, as well as sanctuaries dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, and Saints Vincent, Orontius, and Victor, as well as to Genesius of Arles. One source states that Palladius "possessed an exceptional efficacy in obtaining whatever he petitioned God for." Many miracles were attributed to him, and, besides the gift of prophecy, he enjoyed a "mystical familiarity with the angels... [and] successfully defeated the machinations of the devil simply by making the sign of the cross."
Pars (Sasanian province)
Papak died a few years later, which gave Ardashir the opportunity to rebel against Shapur, who died in 211/2 after an accident. Ardashir spent the rest of the following years fighting other local rulers of Pars and its surroundings, such as the Parthian dynast Mihrak, who ruled Abarsas and Jahrom. By 223, Ardashir was the undisputed king of Pars, and the following year defeated and killed the last Parthian king, Artabanus V.
Parshvanatha
Parshvanatha (), also known as Parshva () and Paras, was the 23rd of 24 Tirthankaras (ford-maker, teacher) of Jainism. He is the earliest Jain Tirthankara who is generally acknowledged as a historical figure. His biography is uncertain, with Jain sources placing him between the 9th and 8th century BC and historians stating he may have lived in 8th or 7th century BC(Paraswanath was born 350 years before Mahavira (100 years age +250 years of shashan)). Along with Mahavira, Rishabhanatha and Neminatha, Parshvanatha is one of the four Tirthankaras who attracts the most devotional worship among the Jains. He is popularly seen as a ford-maker who removes obstacles and has the capacity to save. Parshvanatha died on Mount Sammeta (Madhuban, Jharkhand) along the River Ganges basin, a place that has been an important pilgrimage site for all sub-traditions within Jainism. His iconography is notable for the serpent hood over his head and his worship often includes Dharanendra and Padmavati – the serpent god and goddess of Jainism.
St Padarn's Church, Llanbadarn Fawr
We must live with our virtually complete ignorance of Padarn's life. It is fair to say, however, that if he had died at Llanbadarn there would have been a shrine, traditions of which would have survived for centuries; none are recorded. Therefore, we can see him as one of the more peripatetic of the missionaries of this period, who spent sufficient time in the Rheidol valley to attract a community of Christian men to him which was sufficiently strong to survive his departure. It could have been these followers in subsequent generations who would have established churches in the saint's name in mid-Wales (Llanbadarn Fynydd, Llanbadarn Garreg), and in Ceredigion (Llanbadarn Odwyn, Llanbadarn Trefeglwys [also known as Llanbadarn Fach]), if he didn't establish them himself.
List of Record of Lodoss War characters
A young swordsman living in the Kingdom of Alannia, Parn is the son of an infamous knight of Valis, Tessius, and Shoriki, an Alanian noblewoman (who appears in a flashback in the Grey Witch manga). At the beginning of the series, Parn is a brave but unskilled fighter. He chafes at his life in a small farming community and feels ostracized by the townsfolk for his father's legacy. He later leaves the village after a goblin attack, eventually meeting with King Fahn of Valis and King Kashue of Flaim. His skills eventually improve to the point where he can put up a decent fight against his nemesis, the Dark Knight of Marmo, Ashram.
Isarn, Count of Pallars
Isarn probably co-governed Pallars with his father from around 900. In 904 he was captured along with seven hundred others during a raid by the Qasawi Muslim lord of Lleida, Llop ibn Muhammad. From the "Códice de Roda" we know that he remained a prisoner at Tudela until 918, when he was liberated by his cousin, King Sancho I of Pamplona. As count, Isarn founded a convent, , at Burghals and made his daughter Ermengardis its first abbess in 945. At that date he signed a charter as "Domnus Isarnus comes et marchio dum resideret in Paliarensis regno": "Lord Isarn, count and margrave, while residing in the kingdom of Pallars." Isarn also had a son named William who either predeceased him (before 953) or succeeded him but died without descendents.
Saint Medan
There are other perhaps stronger arguments for the name being that of a man. The name is similar to a man's name, Muadán, which occurs in commemorations on both sides of the Irish Sea, including Glendaruel in Argyll, and has been glossed as a version of "my Aedan": 16 saints bore the name Aedan, including the well-known Aedan of Lindisfarne. Again, a male saint named Medan was buried at Bodmin and perhaps commemorated at Tregavethan, both in Cornwall. A male Modan is the saint of Rosneath, Falkirk, Kirkton of Airlie in Forfar, Fraserburgh and Fintray in Aberdeenshire, and Freswick in Caithness. The church at Kingoldrum in Angus, which was given to Arbroath Abbey in 1211-14 by William the Lion, was dedicated to St Medan; not far from it is a St Medan's Well, and it is thought that originally it was a Celtic establishment. St Medan is also said to have been one of the three companions of St Drostan, the evangeliser of Aberdeenshire and founder of Deer Abbey.
Percy Dearmer
Percival Dearmer (1867–1936), known as Percy Dearmer, was an English priest and liturgist best known as the author of "The Parson's Handbook", a liturgical manual for Anglican clergy. A lifelong socialist, he was an early advocate of the public ministry of women (but not their ordination to the priesthood) and concerned with social justice. Dearmer also had a strong influence on the music of the church and, with Ralph Vaughan Williams and Martin Shaw, is credited with the revival and spread of traditional and medieval English musical forms.
Braddan
Braddan is an elongated parish in the sheading of Middle in the Isle of Man, stretching from Druidale in the north to Port Soderick in the south. It is nearly 10 miles (16 km) from north to south, but less than wide in two places. It borders the parishes of Michael and Lezayre in the north, German, Marown and Onchan in the middle and Santon in the south. The name Braddan is another form of Brendan, an Irish saint and patron of voyagers.
Germanus of Auxerre
Germanus is traditionally credited with the establishment of the Diocese of Sodor and Man on the Isle of Man, though this may have been a different man of a similar name. In the medieval tradition Germanus was frequently conflated with the Welsh Saint Garmon, who is commemorated in several North Wales placenames and church dedications, including Capel Garmon, Llanarmon, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Llanarmon Mynydd Mawr, Llanarmon-yn-Iâl, Llanfechain and Castle Caereinion. However, Baring-Gould and Fisher argue that Saint Garmon is a different Saint Germanus, who was born in Armorica (northern France) , visited Saint Patrick in Ireland in about 440, visited Britain in about 462, then returned to Ireland and was appointed Bishop of Man in 466, and died on the Isle of Man .And then with his stout Episcopal staff
The heretics all, both short and tall,
Saint Edeyrn
Saint Edeyrn ( century) was a pre-congregational saint of Wales, related to Vortigern and the royal house of Powys and the brother of Saint Aerdeyrn and Elldeyrn. Edeyrn is the patron saint of Lannédern in France and Llanedeyrn in Wales, where he founded a monastery of over 300 people.
San Fermín
Fermín is said to have been the son of a Roman of senatorial rank in Pamplona in the 3rd century, who was converted to Christianity by Saint Honestus, a disciple of Saint Saturninus. According to tradition, he was baptised by Saturninus (in Navarre also known as Saint Cernin) at the spot now known as the "Small Well of Saint Cernin" Fermín was ordained a priest in Toulouse, and returned to Pamplona as its first bishop. On a later preaching voyage, Fermín was beheaded in Amiens, France; and is now considered a martyr in the Catholic Church. It is believed he died on September 25, AD 303. There is no written record of veneration of the Saint in Pamplona until the 12th century. Saint Fermín, as well as Saint Francis Xavier, are now the two patrons of Navarre. In Pamplona, Saint Fermín is now sometimes said to have met his end by being dragged through the streets with angry bulls running after him, hence the tradition.
The celebration of the festival has its origin in the combination of two different medieval events. Commercial secular fairs were held at the beginning of the summer. As cattle merchants came into town with their animals, eventually bullfighting came to be organized as a part of the tradition. Specifically, they were first documented in the 14th century. On the other hand, religious ceremonies honoring the saint were held on October 10. However, in 1591 they were transferred to July 7 to take place at the same time as the fair, when Pamplona's weather is better. This is considered to be the beginning of the Sanfermines. During medieval times acts included an opening speech, musicians, tournaments, theatre, bullfights, dances or even fireworks. Bullrunning appears in 17th and 18th century chronicles together with the presence of foreigners and the first concerns about the excessive drinking and dissolute behavior during the event. Finally, the Parade of Giants was created in the mid-19th century. The first official bullring was constructed in 1844.
The worldwide fame of the modern festival, and the great number of foreign visitors it receives every year, are closely related to the description in Ernest Hemingway's book The Sun Also Rises and the reports he made as a journalist. He was fascinated when he first visited in 1923, and returned many times until 1959. Hemingway was also deeply fond of bullrunnings and bullfights, but he did not participate in the running. Different city locations such as "La Perla Hotel" or the "Iruña Café" are famous in part due to the fact that the writer used to visit them. Another famous American author, James Michener, wrote extensively about the festival and bullfighting in his non-fiction book "Iberia". His writing explained the art and business of bullfighting with tremendous 'gracia' by explaining the importance of 'pundonor'.
Warden Law
15th century records of John Wessington reported on by James Raine in the 19th century appear to show the hill within the village as being the place of the epiphany of Aldhun of Durham, the place where Aldhun claimed to have received a vision from Saint Cuthbert saying that the saint's remains should be laid to rest at Durham. According to legend, leading a monastic party at the time was Bishop Aldhun, who was as amazed as his followers when the cart carrying Saint Cuthbert of Lindisfarne’s shrine suddenly refused to move at “Wrdlau” and all their efforts to free it over the next three days were to no avail. During that time, one of the monks, Eadmer, had a vision in which it was revealed to him that Cuthbert’s shrine had to be taken to a place called Dunholme, but when he shared this information with the rest of the monks, it transpired that nobody knew where Dunholme was. Soon afterwards, two girls passed the place where the cart was stuck, one happening to ask the other if she had seen her lost cow, a brown beast. She had. It was, she said, at Dunholme. As the monks set off in the direction the girls had shown them, the cart could be moved easily and it was not long before the Cuthbert fraternity arrived at a piece of high ground surrounded by a great loop of the River Wear, modern Durham City. Cuthbert's remains were interred here and a monastic foundation was built here by Aldhun to house the shrine of Saint Cuthbert. Aldhun was the last Bishop of Lindisfarne (based at Chester-le-Street) and, according to legend as a result of his vision at Warden Law, the first Bishop of Durham.
Saint Pardus
His feast day is 26 May, but in Larino the feast of San Pardo is celebrated over 3 days, 25–27 May.
Ruadhán of Lorrha
The Visio Tnugdali written c.1149 refers to Ruadhán as follows- "Suddenly, Saint Ruadan approached them. He welcomed Tundale happily, took him into his arms and hugged him. 'My son, your arrival here is blessed indeed,' he said, and they stood together. 'From now onwards, while you live in the world you can look forward to a good end to your life. I was once your patron saint and in your worldly life you should be willing to show me some generosity and to kneel, as you well know, in my presence. When Saint Ruadan had fallen silent, Tundale looked happily about him and saw Saint Patrick of Ireland, dressed in shining robes alongside many bishops decked out in their finest regalia. They were all joyful and there was no sound of any sighing! Among that blessed company Tundale could see four bishops whom he recognised. They were all good men; one of them was Saint Cellach, a former archbishop of Armagh, who did much good for the sake of Our Lord. Another was Malachias O'Moore, who had become archbishop of Armagh after him and gave everything that he had to the poor. He founded a large number of churches and colleges, as many as forty-four in all, endowed them with land and rents and so allowed many men of religion to serve God devotedly, although he hardly retained enough for himself to live on".