Saint Pyr
Encyclopedia
Pyr was a Welsh
abbot
of the 6th century who may later have been revered as a saint
.
He has been described as being "an unsuitable abbot and...one of those Celtic
'saints' who would never have been canonized by any formal process" (Farmer, 409). Little is known about him apart from the fact that he was titular of Caldey Island
(Welsh
Ynys Byr "Pŷr's Island"). Pyr is said to have become so drunk one night that on the way back to his cell he fell into a well
. He died soon after being pulled out. He was replaced as abbot by Samson
, who resigned in disgust when he found that the young monks had become ungovernable due to the laxity of Pyr's rule.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of the 6th century who may later have been revered as a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
.
He has been described as being "an unsuitable abbot and...one of those Celtic
Celtic Christianity
Celtic Christianity or Insular Christianity refers broadly to certain features of Christianity that were common, or held to be common, across the Celtic-speaking world during the Early Middle Ages...
'saints' who would never have been canonized by any formal process" (Farmer, 409). Little is known about him apart from the fact that he was titular of Caldey Island
Caldey Island
Caldey Island lies south of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, Wales.The island is home to a small village, but is best known for its monastery. Caldey Island is separated from the mainland by the Caldey Sound which is 1 km to 2 km wide between Caldey Island and the coast of Pembrokeshire...
(Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
Ynys Byr "Pŷr's Island"). Pyr is said to have become so drunk one night that on the way back to his cell he fell into a well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
. He died soon after being pulled out. He was replaced as abbot by Samson
Samson of Dol
Saint Samson of Dol was a Christian religious figure who is counted among the seven founder saints of Brittany. Born in southern Wales, he died in Dol-de-Bretagne, a small town in north Brittany.-Life:...
, who resigned in disgust when he found that the young monks had become ungovernable due to the laxity of Pyr's rule.