St. Teilo was probably born at Penally, near Tenby in Pembrokeshire around the year 500. Although there are conflicting reports about his early life, he was thought to be a cousin of our national patron Dewi Sant, St. David.
He received his education at institutions directed by saints, one being St. Dyfrig, who he succeeded as Bishop of Llandaff, founding the very first Church in Llandaff where the Cathedral stands today. He was also educated by Paulinus of Wales at a place thought to be Whitland in Carmarthenshire. Here he is thought to have met and became a close companion of St. David.
He travelled extensively, including to Brittany, Rome and Jerusalem and to St. David’s in north Pembrokeshire where David founded his monastery. Teilo founded monasteries in Llandeilo (the name of the town literally means ‘Church of St. Teilo’), the place with which which he is most associated, and at Penally. Penally Abbey was located on the pilgrims’ trail to St. David’s.
Legend has it that Teilo went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem with Saints David and Padarn around the year 518. Three seats, one decorated ornately in gold, one of bronze and one of cedar, were erected in their honour in readiness for their ordination as bishops by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. The legend has it that the humble Teilo chose the simple wooden seat.
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In 1998 I travelled to Wales where my daughter & her fiancee were taking their OE, and I visited Llandaff Cathedral, and stood by the tomb of St. Teilo which is in the small graveyard within the cathedral grounds.
It’s a small world Don!
Does that mean that you have done the same?
No. I was referring Don to my publishing a post about a rather obscure saint and one of my regular readers having stood by the tomb of said saint.