Died c. 500. Gundleus (Latin for Gwynllyw, which is anglicised as
Woolo) was a Welsh chieftain. Although he was the eldest, when his
father died, Gundleus divided his inheritance among his six brothers.
According to legend, he desired to marry
Gwladys (f.d. today),
daughter
of
Saint Brychan of Brecknock (f.d. April 6).
When Brychan refused his
daughter's hand, Gundleus kidnapped and married her. (One aspect of the
legend has King Arthur helping to defeat the pursuing Brychan and being
dissuaded from capturing Gwladys for himself by two of his knights.)
Nevertheless, Gundleus and Gwladys led a riotous life, engaging in
violence and banditry until their first son,
Saint Cadoc (f.d. September 25),
convinced them to adopt and follow a religious life
together at Stow Hill near Newport (Gwent), Monmouthshire. Later he had
them separate and live as hermits.
Gundleus spent his last years completely retired from the world in a
solitary little dwelling near a church which he had built. He wore
sackcloth, ate barley-bread strewn with ashes, and drank water. To
constant prayer and contemplation he added the work of his hands. On
his deathbed, Gundleus was visited by
Saint Dyfrig (f.d. November 14)
and his own son Cadoc, who provided him with the Last Rites of the
Church. There is a church dedicated to him at Newport
(
Attwater2,
Benedictines,
Delaney,
Farmer,
Husenbeth).
Icon of St. Gwynllyw
http://www.odox.net/A-gwynll.jpg
Troparion of St Gladys and St Gwynllyn
Tone 5
Rejoice, thrice-blessed Gladys,
daughter of King Brychan,
wife of holy Gwynllyn and mother of Saint Cadoc.
O worthy Gwynllyn,
thou didst
forsake thy pagan warfare to fight as a Christian ascetic
and didst end thy days as a hermit.
We praise you, Gladys and Gwynllyn.
