Caffo

Saint Caffo was a Christian of the sixth century on the island of Anglesey in north Wales, venerated as a saint and martyr. According to tradition he was one of the sons of King Caw of northern Britain, who lost his lands and took refuge in Anglesey, where Maelgwn of Gwynedd gave him land in the district of Twrcelyn. His relatives include Saint Gildas, his brother, Saint Cwyllog, his sister, and his uncles Saints Iestyn and Cyngar.

Caffo was a companion and cousin of Saint Cybi, who settled in the old Roman fort at Holyhead. The Life of Cybi tells how, sent to fetch fire from a blacksmith, Caffo came back with a red-⁠hot coal in his clothes and the clothes were not burnt. Later the two parted, either from a disagreement or because Gildas had insulted Maelgwn, who is said to have forced Cybi to send Caffo away. Caffo went towards the south of the island and was killed by local shepherds, perhaps in revenge for the insult to their king.

The place of his death took the name Llangaffo, and the church dedicated to him stands there still, recorded before the year 1254. Tradition also remembers a holy well, Ffynnon Caffo. His holiness was recognised locally, without formal canonization; he is a saint of the undivided Church.