Died c. 590 (possibly 7th or 8th century); feast day formerly on January
31. Melangell is commemorated in some Welsh calendars. She seems to have
been a hermit in Montgomeryshire, who later became abbess of a small
community in remote Pennant Melangell (now Powys). Her church and shrine
have been restored recently.
She is another of those saints who cultus flourished locally long before
any vita was written; the only source still available is a 15th-century
version that appears to have been based on an earlier source. Her story
connects Melangell with King Brochwel
Ysgithrog of Powys, who happened upon her while he was hunting in her
neighbourhood. At that time she had been living at Pennant Melangell for
15 years after having fled from an unwanted marriage in Ireland.
Brochwel gave her land for a convent and a sanctuary for the hares she
had befriended. The saint is reputed to have lived another 33 years
after this encounter. The text explicitly states that she was a virgin.
She and Saint Winifred are the only two female saints from Wales who
have Latin biographies. It ends with someone named Elise attempting to
ravish the nuns and meeting a grisly end
(
Benedictines,
Farmer).
Melangell is the patron of hares
(
Farmer).
Another Life of St. Melangell (Monacella)
She was perhaps an Irishwoman, though north Wales is sometimes claimed
to be her native land. Her father was a certain king Cyfwlch Addwyn, who
was related to St. Helen of Caernarfon.
Melangell fled from her father's court to avoid marriage and seek a life
of solitude and prayer. In the year 590 she settled in a wooded valley
in north Wales and used a cave for her cell. One day prince Brochfael of
Powys, the father of St. Tysilio, came to hunt near her cave,
accompanied by his hounds. It was not long before the prince and his
hounds were in pursuit of a hare, but it managed to take refuge under
St. Melangell's robe, and when prince and hounds came upon this holy
woman, they stopped in their tracks; the hounds would not kill.
Prince Brochfael was so taken aback by St. Melangell that he asked her
to marry him, but she said she could not as she only wanted to live her
life for Christ. Later, the prince gave her some land upon which to
build a monastery, in 600 A.D.; this place is today called Pennant
Meiangell, in northern Powys. Here St. Melangell was well known for her
kindness and saintliness.
Pennant Meiangell church has many things of interest. inside, such as
St. Melangell's stone shrine (from 1170) which can be seen in the
'Cell-yBedd' (Cell of the Grave) at the far end of the church; this was
also the traditional site of her burial. Two fifteenth-century wood
carvings depicting the legend of St. Melangell and Prince Brochfael can
also be seen on the loft screen. Today, St. Melangell is patron saint of
hares, known locally as "St. Monacella's little lambs".
I was just reading your entry for St. Melangell (27 May) Whilst the story is
sound, the details relating to the church are way out of date. The church
has been repaired, and the shrine has been fully reconstructed. I know,
because I have had the joy of visiting her shrine.
You can find brief details on one of my web pages:
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/fatherluke/melangell.html
or go to my homepage, and follow the link for "Pilgrimage to St. Melangell's
church"
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/fatherluke/orthodoxchristiancontact.html
Troparion of St Melangell tone 8
Preferring the rigours of monasticism to worldly status and marriage, 0
pious Melangell,/ though wast fifteen years on a rock, emulating the
example of the Syrian Stylites./ Wherefore, 0 Saint, pray to God that He
will give us strength to serve Him as He wills,/ that we may be found
worthy of His great mercy.
See two other Lives and other details for 31 January
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints/message/1436
Another Life:
Celtic Orthodox Church site
http://web.archive.org/web/20030418110352/www.nireland.com/orthodox/melangel.htm
or
http://tinyurl.com/ytleje
Woodcut of Saint Melangell
http://www.belinus.co.uk/folklore/images/WF25.jpg
Pennant Melangell (with picture of church and surroundings)
http://cpat.powys.org.uk/english/sites/welshp/ls5.htm
Icons of St. Melangell:
http://www.allmercifulsavior.com/icons/Icons-Melangell.htm##1
or
http://tinyurl.com/2c7nbb
http://web.archive.org/web/20030404031349/http://www.nireland.com/orthodox/melangel.gif
or
http://tinyurl.com/268ott
