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Died 6th century. Ordained by Saint Patrick. Saint Ruadan was patron of the abbey of Tavistock in Devonshire, as well as several places in Cornwall and Brittany. He is important in the traditions of Brittany, where he died, and the region of Laon. Ruadan is buried at Locronan. Every six years the faithful make a processional pilgrimage along the traditional 10-mile route followed by Ruadan during his mission. Today's saint should not be confused with the Irish Saint Ruadan (Benedictines, Encyclopaedia, Farmer, Gill, Montague).

"Just as England has her Cornwall, so has Brittany her Cornouille, viz. Amorican Cornwall....

"Every sixth year a 'pardon' was held in honour of the sixth century saint S.Ronan. The Grande Tromenie is held on the second Sunday of July, and is a mass procession that follows the route [10 miles - Fr. A]taken by two oxen who, on the saint's death, were allowed to wander of their own accord from his place of death to a place of burial ( the hill outside the village of Locranon). After a service in the church nearly 15,000 worshippers climb the hill with their relics, past crosses and other memorials. The author complained that he could only find refreshment at the summit in drinking syrups, each stickier than the last. How different, he complains, from the Godless hordes of England's Epsom and Derby Day.


Extract from The Grande Tromenie of Locronan, in Amorican Cornwall, Seen in July 1911 and Described by Niall, Duke of Argyll, Published London, 1914, Society of Ss. Peter & Paul


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