Picture: Romary · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
Gildas
6th-century British monk, writer and saint
SaintResearchedKingdom of StrathclydePre-congregation
Feast: 29 January (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Born
516
verified
Died
570
verified
Beatified
—
not needed: before formal processes
Canonised
By tradition
recognised before formal processes began
Who they were
Gildas 'the Wise' was born about 516, the year of the British victory at Mount Badon. His two medieval lives are confused, but most scholars hold there was only one St Gildas.
At Rhuys in Brittany he wrote his famous letter rebuking the British kings. He died at Houat in 570, and his relics were venerated at Rhuys.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.
Why that counted as sanctity
A monk who called the rulers of Britain to repentance.
Connected on this site
- Allgo Saint Child
- Gwynog Saint Child
- Illtud Saint Teacher
- Saint Eigrad Saint Child
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Gildas
- Wikidata Q352995 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Gildas (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.