Saint Tydecho facts for kids

Saint Tydecho was a special person from the 6th century in Wales. He is known as a saint, which means he was a very holy and good person.

Who Was Saint Tydecho?

Tydecho was one of many saints who came to Wales from a place called Armorica. Some people think Armorica was Brittany, which is now part of France. Others believe it was a region in southeast Wales.

Tydecho was related to other important figures. His father was Amwn Ddu, and he was a cousin of Saint Cadfan. Tydecho and Saint Cadfan traveled around Wales together.

Tydecho's Life in Wales

Stories say that Tydecho arrived in Wales when King Arthur was still alive. After King Arthur passed away, Tydecho chose to live as an anchorite. This means he lived a simple life, often alone, focusing on his faith.

Tydecho lived with his sister, Tegfedd, in the Mawddwy area of Wales. He helped start several churches in the region. These include churches in Llanymawddwy, Mallwyd, Garthbeibio, and Cemmaes. He also founded a small chapel called Capel Tydecho in Llandegfan.

How Tydecho Got Land for Churches

Tydecho sometimes got land for his churches in interesting ways. One story tells of his sister, Tegfedd, who was very beautiful. A rich man named Cynon was so amazed by her beauty that he took her away.

Tydecho quickly found Cynon and made him release his sister. He also convinced Cynon to make up for what he did. Cynon agreed to give some land to Tydecho for a church in Garthbeibio.

Legends of Saint Tydecho

Many legends are told about Saint Tydecho. These stories show his strong faith and how he dealt with challenges.

The Prince and the Plough

One famous story involves a young prince named Maelgwn Gwynedd. The prince was known for bothering the saint. Tydecho lived a very simple life. He slept on rocks, wore a rough shirt made of hair (called a hair shirt), and farmed his land. He used oxen to pull his plough.

One day, Prince Maelgwn decided to steal Tydecho's oxen. But the next day, when the prince visited Tydecho's land, he saw something amazing. Tydecho was ploughing his fields with two wild stags! Even more surprising, a grey wolf was pulling the harrow behind them.

The prince was angry and brought his dogs to chase away the deer. He sat on a rock to watch. But when he tried to get up, he couldn't move! He was stuck to the rock. The only way he could get free was to say sorry to the saint and ask for forgiveness.

As part of his apology, Prince Maelgwn agreed to special rules for Tydecho's land. It became a safe place, or sanctuary, for both people and animals. It was also free from certain taxes and claims.

The River of Milk

Another legend tells of a milkmaid who worked for Tydecho. She was crossing a river and accidentally slipped. Her pail of milk spilled into the water.

Tydecho's response was incredible. He turned the river, from where it started all the way to the village of Llanymawddwy, into a stream of milk! He named this special section of the river Llaethnant, which means "milk stream."

Welsh poets like Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and Matthew Brwmffild have written poems about Saint Tydecho. Their poems tell stories like "The Legend of St Tydecho" and "St. Tydecho, and the Two Parishes of Mawddwy."

Feast Day

Saint Tydecho's special day, called a feast day, is celebrated every year on December 17.