Saint Caradoc of Wales
Also known as
- Caradoc of Llandaff
- Caradog…
- Caractacus…
- Caradocus…
- Caradoco…
- 13 April
- formerly 14 April
- 31 January on some calendars
Profile
Born to a wealthy family, Caradoc spent part of his youth as a harp player in the court of King Rhys ap Twedwr of South Wales. He fell out of royal favour when he lost one of the king‘s greyhounds. Deciding to start a new life, Caradoc broke the tip of his spear to turn it into a walking stick, and left the court to become a monk at Saint Teilo church. Longing for a quieter life, he became a hermit in the ruins of Saint Kyned church in Gower where he was known to befriend wild animals. Ordained in Menevia, Wales. With several companions he set up a hermitage on Barry Island off the coast of Wales. After surviving Viking raiders, the hermits were driven from the island by King Henry I of England. Caradoc spent the rest of his days as a prayerful hermit in a cell in modern Haroldston, Pembrokeshire. Church Lawrenny in Pembrokeshire is dedicated to him.
Born
- 11th century Brycheiniog, Wales
- 13 April 1124 at Saint Isells, Wales of natural causes
- interred at the cathedral of Saint David
- re-interred several years later, and body found incorrupt
- the historian William of Malmesbury tried to cut off a finger to take as a relic; Caradoc’s hand jerked away
MLA Citation
- “Saint Caradoc of Wales“. CatholicSaints.Info. 3 June 2020. Web. 20 April 2021. <>