Saint Maudez

Saint Maudez is a Breton saint who lived in the 5th or 6th centuries. He is also known as Maudé, Maudet (Breton French), Maodez or Modez (Breton), Maudetus (Latin), Mandé (French) and Mawes (in Cornwall). In the Breton calendar his feast is 18 November.

Biography

He is said to be from Ireland but it is above all in Brittany that his cult is greatest. In Trégor he is said to have founded a monastery in the 5th century on the island of Maudez.

He settled there with two disciples, Saint Budoc and Saint Tudy (or Tugdual). He banished the snakes and that is why he is invoked by those who want to get rid of reptiles, insects and worms. Traces of a beehive hut known as Forn Modez (Maudez's oven) are visible on the island.

A commune in Côtes-d'Armor has the name Lanmodez (enclosure of Modez or Maudez) where the monastery of Maudez which he founded and where he died is located.

In the 9th century his relics were taken to Bourges and to Saint-Mandé (Saint-Maudez), near Paris to escape from the Normans. When they returned to Brittany they were divided between nine churches.

Legacy

• More than 60 churches or chapels are dedicated to the saint, e.g. Guiscriff, Lanvellec.
• Under the name 'Saint Mawes, he is venerated at Saint Mawes in Cornwall and in the Isles of Scilly.
• In Côtes d'Armor the village of St-Maudez is in the canton of Plélan-le-Petit.

References

• Doble, G. H. (1964) The Saints of Cornwall: part 3. Truro: Dean and Chapter; pp. 57–73

Further reading

• Maurice Carbonnell, Saint Maudez-- Saint Mandé: un maître du monachisme breton, 2009 An exhaustive study which surveys the whole range of aspects of this saint: history, legend, veneration, and etymology. Also available as an illustrated volume of 172 p. ISBN 2-914996-06-3.