Gwenhael

Holy Venerable Gwenhael (Guénaël) was a monk and the second abbot of Landévennec Abbey in Brittany in the 6th century, successor of its founder, Saint Winwaloe (Gwenole). He is a saint of the undivided Church.

His Life, written in the 9th century, says he was born at Quimper (or, others say, at Ergué-⁠Gabéric) at the beginning of the 6th century. When he was eleven, Winwaloe met him in the street and obtained from his parents that the boy should study under his direction. He grew up at Landévennec, where he became a monk in 511; Winwaloe chose him as successor, and after Winwaloe's repose in 532 the monks made him abbot. After seven years he resigned and left with eleven other monks, first for the Channel Islands, then Brittany and Ireland, to learn the monastic life as lived under the rule of Saint Columbanus. On the way he revived zeal where it had cooled, founded two or three large monasteries and reformed some fifty small ones. He stayed in Ireland thirty-⁠four years, then returned to Armorica and settled on the right bank of the river Blavet, where the chapel of Saint-⁠Guenaël in Lanester now stands. It is said that hunted deer sought refuge under his cloak. Learning of this from the hunters, Count Waroch of Vannes came to see him and tried to persuade him to stay at court, but the saint chose to prepare for his end in solitude.

He is commemorated on 3 November, the liturgical date in the Orthodox calendar (the same day number on the old and new calendars).