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Encyclopedia > Elen Luyddog

Elen (also known as Saint Helen of Caernarfon) was a late 4th century founder of churches in Wales who is remembered as a saint. Traditionally she is said to have been a Romano-British princess and the wife of Macsen or Magnus Clemens Maximus, Emperor in Britain, Gaul and Spain, where he died seeking imperial recognition in 388. As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ... This article is about the country. ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are often depicted as having halos. ... Romano-British is a term used to refer to the Romanized Britons under the Roman Empire (and later the Western Roman Empire) and in the years after the Roman departure exposed to Roman culture and Christian religion. ... Magnus Maximus. ... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin: ) was the name given, in ancient times, to the region of Western Europe comprising present-day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... // Events Bahram IV becomes king of Persia. ...

Contents

Church tradition

Elen was mother of five, including a boy named Constantine, but she lived about sixty years later than Helena of Constantinople, the mother of Constantine the Great with whom she has, in times past, been confused. She is patron of Llanelan in West Gower and of the church at Penisa'r-waun near Caernarfon, where her feast day is May 22. Together with her sons, Cystennin (Constantine) and Peblig (Publicius, named in the calendar of the Church in Wales), she is said to have introduced into Wales the Celtic form of monasticism from Gaul. Saint Gregory of Tours records that Maximus and Elen met Saint Martin of Tours while they were in Gaul. st Helena was a great gal she was really great ... Constantine. ... Rhossili Beach, Gower, Wales The Gower peninsula (Welsh: ) is a peninsula on the south coast of Glamorgan, Wales. ... Caernarfon (the original Welsh spelling is now almost always used in preference to the anglicised forms, Caernarvon or Carnarvon) is a royal town in north-west Wales. ... May 22 is the 142nd day of the year (143rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Flag of the Church in Wales The Church in Wales (Welsh: Yr Eglwys Yng Nghymru) is a member Church of the Anglican Communion, consisting of six dioceses in Wales. ... Celtic Christianity, or Insular Christianity (sometimes commonly called the Celtic Church) broadly refers to the Early Medieval Christian practice that developed around the Irish Sea in the fifth and sixth centuries, that is among “Celtic”/“British” peoples such as the Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish, Manx, etc. ... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin: ) was the name given, in ancient times, to the region of Western Europe comprising present-day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... Saint Gregory of Tours (c. ... Saint Martin of Tours (Latin: Martinus), (316/317 – November 11, 397 in Candes) was a bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. ...


Literary tradition

Elen's story is told in The Dream of Macsen Wledig, one of the tales associated with the Mabinogion. Welsh mythology remembers her as the daughter of a chieftain of north Wales named Eudaf or Eudwy, who probably lived somewhere near the Roman base of Segontium, now Caernarfon. She is remembered as a heroine who magically built highways across her country so that the soldiers could more easily defend it from attackers, thus earning her the name Elen Luyddog (Elen of the Hosts). She is said to have ordered the making of Sarn Helen (Ffordd Elan), the great Roman road running from Caernarfon to South Wales via Dolgellau, Pennal and Bremia (Llanddewi Brefi). Though this road bears her name it is considerably older than Elen's accepted time period. Many other roads in Wales bear her name (e.g. Llwybr Elen) and she is thus acknowledged as the patron saint of British roadbuilders and the protectoress of travellers. Magnus Maximus. ... The Mabinogion is a collection of prose stories from medieval Welsh manuscripts. ... Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons, has come down to us in much altered form in medieval Welsh manuscripts such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin. ... Segontium from the A4085 Segontium is a Roman auxiliary fort, located on the outskirts of Caernarfon in north Wales. ... Caernarfon (the original Welsh spelling is now almost always used in preference to the anglicised forms, Caernarvon or Carnarvon) is a royal town in north-west Wales. ... Sarn Helen was a Roman road running north and south through the middle of Wales. ... Caernarfon (the original Welsh spelling is now almost always used in preference to the anglicised forms, Caernarvon or Carnarvon) is a royal town in north-west Wales. ... Dolgellau (pronounced , occasionally ) is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the Mawddach. ... Pennal is a village in north Wales, chiefly known for its historical association with Owain Glyndwr. ... Llanddewi Brefi is a small village in Ceredigion (Cardiganshire), Wales. ...


References

  • Farmer, David (1997). Oxford Dictionary of Saints, 4th edition. Oxford. (Listed as Helen of Caernarvon).
  • Pennick, Thorsons (1997). The Celtic Saints. Thorsons.

See also

v • d • e
Topics in Celtic mythology
Creation Beira
Ancient Celtic or Gaulish deities Abandinus, Abellio, Abnoba, Adsullata, Aericura, Agrona, Alaunus, Alisanos, Ambisagrus, Ancamna, Andarta, Andraste, Anextiomarus, Arduinna, Arnemetia, Artio, Arvernus, Aufaniae, Aveta, Belatu-Cadros, Belenus, Belisama, Borvo, Brigantia, Britannia, Buxenus, Camma, Camulus, Cernunnos, Cissonius, Clota, Cocidius, Condatis, Contrebis, Coventina, Damara, Damona, Dea Matrona, Dis, Epona, Esus, Fagus, Grannus, Hooded Spirits, Icaunus, Leucetios, Lugus, Luxovius, Maponos, Matres, Nantosuelta, Nemetona, Nemausus, Nodens, Ogmios, Robur, Rosmerta, Rudianos, Sabrina, Segomo, Senua, Sequana, Sirona, Smertios, Sucellos, Suleviae, Sulis, Tamesis, Taranis, Toutatis, Verbeia, Vosegus
Irish mythological characters Abartach, Abhean, Aengus, Ai, Aibell, Aimend, Aine, Airmed, Anann, Badb, Balor, Banba, Beag, Bébinn, Bechuille, Birog, Boann, Bodb Dearg, Brea, Breg, Bres, Brigid, Bronach, Buarainech, Caer, Canola, Carman, Cenn Cruaich, Cessair, Cethlenn, Cian, Cliodhna, Creidhne, Corb, Crom Cruach, Cú Roí mac Daire, Dagda, Danu, Dian Cecht, Elatha, Étaín, Ethlinn, Ethne, Ériu, Fand, Fionnuala, Fodla, Goibniu, Lir, Luchtaine, Lugh, Macha, Manannan mac Lir, Miach, Midir, Mog Ruith, Morrigan, Murigen, Neit, Nemain, Niamh, Nuada, Ogma, Plor na mBan, Sheila-na-gig, Tailtiu, Tethra
Irish kings, heroes and other mortals Cailte, Conall Cernach, Conchobar, Conan Mac Moirna, Conan Maol, Conn of the Hundred Battles, Cormac mac Airt, Cuchulainn, Cumhail, Dechtere, Deirdre, Diarmuid, Emer, Ferdiad, Fergus mac Roich, Fionn mac Cumhaill, Lughaid Stronghand, Medb, Oisin, Osgur
Welsh mythological characters Amaethon, Arawn, Arianrhod, Avalloc, Beli, Blodeuwedd, Bran the Blessed, Branwen, Caswallawn, Ceridwen, Cigva, Creiddylad, Culhwch, Cyhiraeth, Dewi, Dôn, Dwyn, Dylan Eil Ton, Efnisien, Elen, Eurosswydd, Govannon, Gwenn Teir Bronn, Gwydion, Gwyn ap Nudd, Hafgan, Llew Llaw Gyffes, Llyr, Lludd, Mabon, Manawydan, Math ap Mathonwy, Modron, Nisien, Ogyruan, Olwen, Penarddun, Pryderi, Pwyll, Rhiannon, Taliesin
Locations Annwn, Mag Mell, Sidh, Tir na n-Og
Weapons Claíomh Solais, Fragarach, Gae Bulg, Spear Luin
Worship Beltane, Celtic astrology, Imbolc, Lughnasadh, Samhain


 
 

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