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The Celtic Saints.

Many of the Celtic Christians were noted as Saints. Their names and stories are remembered as part of our Christian heritage.

Saint David is the most famous of the Celtic saints of Wales. This 6th. Century abbot and bishop spread Christianity throughout Wales. He founded a dozen monasteries where monks lived a very simple life. According to Mediaeval stories, he visited Jerusalem, where he was ordained as an archbishop. Saint David became the senior bishop of all Wales, teaching the faith and denouncing heresy. At this date, most Christians in Wales followed the beliefs of the undivided Orthodox Catholic Church.

The Celtic monks were great missionaries. Saint Dyfrig founded some of the earliest monasteries in South Wales, where thousands of monks came to study. People he ordained became missionaries : Saint Samson went to South West Britain, then settled at Dol in Brittany; Saint Deiniol spread the faith in North Wales. In the same way, Saint Columba established monasteries in Ireland, then founded the community on Iona. He worked as a missionary in Scotland. Saint Aidan, and monks from Iona, converted the Saxon people of the North of England. Saint Columbanus from Ireland set up a string of Celtic monasteries in Europe. By the 13th. Century, there were monks from Ireland in Kiev in Russia.

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