Saint Elli facts for kids

The Church of St Elli in Llanelli, built in the 13th century.

A drawing of the St Elli window at Church of St Gabriel, Brynmill, Swansea

Saint Elli was an important Welsh person from the 500s. People believe Elli was a saint. It is possible there was one Saint Elli, or maybe even two different saints with the same name.

Two places in Wales are named after Elli. These are Llanelli, a town in Carmarthenshire, and Llanelly, a village in Monmouthshire.

People have different stories about Saint Elli. Some stories describe a male saint named Elli. Other stories talk about a female saint named Elli. There are even old pictures showing both a male and a female saint.

Stories About Saint Elli

Elli, the Princess

One popular story says that Elli, or Ellyw, was a princess. She was the daughter or granddaughter of a king named Brychan. This King Brychan was famous in Welsh history.

According to this legend, Princess Elli started a church. This church was built next to the River Lliedi. Farmers and other people came to live near the church. This small community grew over time. It eventually became the town of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire.

Elli, the Monk

Another old story comes from a book written in the 1000s. This book is called Vita Cadoci, which means "The Life of Cadoc". This story says that Elli was a boy. He was the son of a queen from some islands called Grimbul.

Saint Cadoc was a famous Welsh saint. The queen of Grimbul could not have children. Cadoc prayed for her, and she later had a son, Elli. The queen then asked Cadoc to raise Elli.

Cadoc took Elli to a special religious school. This school was called a clas. It was located in a place called Llancarfan. Elli studied and learned there. The story says that Elli became the leader of the Llancarfan school. He took over after Cadoc left for another country.

Churches Named After Saint Elli

Two churches in Wales are dedicated to Saint Elli. This means they are named in honor of the saint.

One is St Elli Church in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. The other is St Elli's Church in Llanelly, Monmouthshire. People who follow the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church also remember and respect Saint Elli.