Saint Gwenaël
Encyclopedia
Saint Gwenhael was a Breton
saint of the 6th century, born at Ergué-Gabéric
(Finistère
), the second abbot of Landévennec Abbey
, successor in 532 to the founder, Saint Winwaloe
. According to tradition, Winwaloe met Gwenaël in a street in Quimper when he was eleven, and was so convinced of his gifts that he at once obtained permission from Gwenaël's parents for him to study under his direction. The feast of Saint Gwenaël is 3 November. His Vita was written in the 9th century.
, but his cult is mostly found in the west of Brittany
, as can be established after some deciphering of the various forms his name has taken. The church of Ergué-Gabéric (Finistère) is dedicated to him, under the name of "Saint Guinal" (gui = goui = gw), and this, together with its proximity to Quimper, has given rise to the suggestion that he may have been born there..
He is also said to have founded a monastery at Caudan
(on the territory of the present Lanester
), where there is a chapel of Saint Guénaël, and to have died there in about 590. His relics were translated to Corbeil
.
The parish churches of Bolazec
, Lescouët-Gouarec
and Tréguidel
are also dedicated to him.
, in Saint-Guinel in Mauron
, in Saint-Guénal and Saint-Vinnel in Poullaouen
, in Lanvenaël in Plomeur
, in Saint-Vénal et Saint-Guénal in Landivisiau
and in Saint-Vénal in Saint-Pol-de-Léon
. Kervénal also occurs three times, in Côtes-d'Armor
, Finistère and Morbihan
.
The surnames Guénal, Guénel, Trévinal and Kervennal doubtless have a connection with this saint's name, either directly or through a place name, such as the examples above.
The origin of the name is the Breton
gwenn ("happy") and haël ("generous"). A popular etymology mistakenly associates the names with the word ael, meaning "angel" in modern Breton.
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
saint of the 6th century, born at Ergué-Gabéric
Ergué-Gabéric
Ergué-Gabéric is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. It lies on the Odet river.-Population:-Sights:The church of Saint Gwenhael has an organ by Thomas Dallam II and his son Toussaint....
(Finistère
Finistère
Finistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
), the second abbot of Landévennec Abbey
Landévennec Abbey
Landévennec Abbey was a monastery in Brittany, now in Finistère, France. It existed from its foundation at Landévennec, traditionally by Winwaloe in the late fifth century, to 1793, when the monastery was abandoned and sold. In 1950 it was bought and rebuilt by the Benedictines of Kerbénéat.It...
, successor in 532 to the founder, Saint Winwaloe
Saint Winwaloe
Saint Winwaloe was the founder and first Abbot of Landévennec Abbey, literally Lann of Venec, or Monastery of Winwaloe...
. According to tradition, Winwaloe met Gwenaël in a street in Quimper when he was eleven, and was so convinced of his gifts that he at once obtained permission from Gwenaël's parents for him to study under his direction. The feast of Saint Gwenaël is 3 November. His Vita was written in the 9th century.
Monasteries and churches
Gwenaël is said to have restored several monasteries in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, but his cult is mostly found in the west of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, as can be established after some deciphering of the various forms his name has taken. The church of Ergué-Gabéric (Finistère) is dedicated to him, under the name of "Saint Guinal" (gui = goui = gw), and this, together with its proximity to Quimper, has given rise to the suggestion that he may have been born there..
He is also said to have founded a monastery at Caudan
Caudan
Caudan is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-References:* * -External links:* *...
(on the territory of the present Lanester
Lanester
Lanester is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany, in north-western France.It is the largest suburb of the city of Lorient, across the river Scorff to the east.-Breton language:...
), where there is a chapel of Saint Guénaël, and to have died there in about 590. His relics were translated to Corbeil
Corbeil
- Places :* Corbeil, Ontario, Canada* Corbeil-Essonnes, Essonne, France, a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris* The Corbeil Cathedral* Corbeil, Marne, France, a commune in north-eastern France...
.
The parish churches of Bolazec
Bolazec
Bolazec is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Bolazec are called in French Bolazécois.-References:** ;...
, Lescouët-Gouarec
Lescouët-Gouarec
Lescouët-Gouarec is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Bretagne in northwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Lescouët-Gouarec are called lescouëtais.-External links:*...
and Tréguidel
Tréguidel
Tréguidel is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Bretagne in northwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Tréguidel are called tréguidelais.-External links:*...
are also dedicated to him.
Name
According to Gwennolé Le Menn, his name is probably to be found in Locunel in CaudanCaudan
Caudan is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-References:* * -External links:* *...
, in Saint-Guinel in Mauron
Mauron
Mauron is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:The inhabitants of Mauron are known in French as Mauronnais.-Twin towns:Mauron is twinned with the town of Newmarket in Ireland.-References:* *...
, in Saint-Guénal and Saint-Vinnel in Poullaouen
Poullaouen
Poullaouen is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.-Population:Inhabitants of Poullaouen are called in French Poullaouenais.-References:** -External links:**...
, in Lanvenaël in Plomeur
Plomeur
Plomeur is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.-Breton language:The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhoneg on April 28, 2006....
, in Saint-Vénal et Saint-Guénal in Landivisiau
Landivisiau
Landivisiau is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.-International relations:It is twinned with Bideford in the southwest of the United Kingdom.-Population:...
and in Saint-Vénal in Saint-Pol-de-Léon
Saint-Pol-de-Léon
Saint-Pol-de-Léon is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretange in northwestern France, located on the coast.It is famous for its 13th-century cathedral on the site of the original founded by Saint Paul Aurelian in the 6th century. It has kept a unique architecture, such as Notre-Dame du...
. Kervénal also occurs three times, in Côtes-d'Armor
Côtes-d'Armor
Côtes-d'Armor is a department in the north of Brittany, in northwestern France.-History:Côtes-du-Nord was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Brittany. Its name was changed in 1990 to...
, Finistère and Morbihan
Morbihan
Morbihan is a department in Brittany, situated in the northwest of France. It is named after the Morbihan , the enclosed sea that is the principal feature of the coastline.-History:...
.
The surnames Guénal, Guénel, Trévinal and Kervennal doubtless have a connection with this saint's name, either directly or through a place name, such as the examples above.
The origin of the name is the Breton
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
gwenn ("happy") and haël ("generous"). A popular etymology mistakenly associates the names with the word ael, meaning "angel" in modern Breton.