Uniac

Saint Uniac (also Winiau or Winniau) was a saint born in Ireland in the sixth century and died, also in the sixth century, in Brittany. He is commemorated on 2 or 4 August, according to the calendar. His name appears in the sources in several forms, according to how it was transcribed.

He was a companion of Saint Samson, with whom he landed in 548 at Saint-⁠Guinoux, became one of the most zealous monks of the monastery of Dol and a collaborator of Saint Méen. He then went to Saint-⁠Uniac, where he founded a small monastery (a priory), later given to the abbey of Saint-⁠Méen. Legend says that he made a spring gush forth for the inhabitants around, who were suffering from drought; its water is believed never to run dry and to heal skin diseases, and a niche with a wooden statue of the saint stands above the spring. From the twelfth century to the end of the nineteenth great processions were held there on 2 August. Like Saint Méen, he is invoked for skin diseases. He is a saint of the undivided Church, honoured locally.