Seiriol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Seiriol |
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St Seiriol's Church, Penmon, Anglesey
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| Born | North Wales |
| Died | Ynys Seiriol (Anglesey) |
| Venerated in | |
| Feast | 1 February |
Seiriol (pronounced like SY-ree-ol) was an important Welsh saint from the early 500s. He first built a small home, called a cell, at Penmon Priory on Anglesey, an island off the coast of north Wales. Later in his life, he moved to a smaller island nearby, which is now known as Puffin Island.
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The Story of Saint Seiriol
Seiriol was a son of King Owain Danwyn of Rhos, a kingdom in north Wales. He was the younger brother of two other kings, King Cynlas and King Einion.
It's said that Seiriol's brothers helped rebuild his first home at Penmon. They thought his original, simple dwelling wasn't good enough for him.
Seiriol's Well and Monastery
Near where Seiriol lived, there is a special place called St Seiriol's Well (or Ffynnon Seiriol in Welsh). It's a small pool inside a chamber. Both the well and the remains of Seiriol's home are protected by Cadw, a group that looks after Wales's historic sites.
Next to these, you can still see parts of a church and the ruins of a monastery. These buildings also date back to the time when Seiriol lived there, showing how important the area was even then.
The Friendship of Two Saints
A famous legend tells of a close friendship between Saint Seiriol and Saint Cybi. They would meet every week at the Clorach wells, near a place called Llanerchymedd.
Saint Cybi would walk all the way from Holyhead. Because he walked facing the sun in the morning and evening, his skin became tanned. This earned him the nickname Cybi Felyn, which means Cybi the Tanned.
Seiriol, on the other hand, traveled from Penmon in the opposite direction. He always had his back to the sun, so his skin stayed fair. That's why he was known as Seiriol Wyn, meaning Seiriol the Fair.
There's even a railway station called Rhyd-y-Saint railway station (which means Ford of the Saints railway station). It's named this because people believed Seiriol and Cybi met there.
Seiriol's Later Life
When Seiriol became old, he moved to a small island called Ynys Lannog. Over time, this island became known as Ynys Seiriol, named after him. Later, the Vikings called it Priestholm. Since the 1800s, it has been known in English as Puffin Island, because of the many puffins that live there.
Honoring Saint Seiriol
Saint Seiriol is remembered and honored on February 1st each year by both the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. People still visit his holy well today. For example, the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Sourozh holds a special trip to St. Seiriol's Well in Penmon every year.
Seiriol's name has also been used in other ways:
- One of the trams on the Great Orme Tramway is named Seiriol.
- A ship called the St Seiriol, owned by the Liverpool and North Wales Steamship Company, used to take people on trips to the Isle of Man. This ship also served as a minesweeper during World War I.
- You can see a picture of St Seiriol in a beautiful mosaic made of Venetian Glass. This artwork, created by Gary Drostle, is located at the western end of The Celtic Gateway footbridge in Holyhead.
