Friends' hunting accident leads to reclusive life

	St. Illtyd When: 450-535 Where: Lived mainly in Wales What: Knight and monk Feast: Nov. 6

Sometimes, the feast day of a saint occurs at an especially appropriate time. Such is the case with St. Illtyd or Illtud.

While not the patron of hunters, this saint's life is closely tied to hunting and carries an important reminder as the deer gun season draws near.

We might never have heard of Illtyd, who lived in the 5th and 6th centuries, if some of his friends had not been killed in a hunting accident. Their accidental deaths were a life-changing experience for Illtyd, who, within a few years, founded a monastery that was instrumental in converting Wales.

Unfortunately, little is known for sure about much of Illtyd's life. We know that his father was a Briton living in Letavia, though scholars do not agree on whether Letavia is in Brittany (northwest France) or in England.

In about 470, Illtyd visited his cousin, King Arthur, and married Trynihid. Next, he served in the army of a chieftain in Glamorgan (southeast Wales) and was known as Illtyd the Knight.

But the tragic hunting accident changed all that. At first, Illtyd and Trynihid became recluses, living in a hut by the Nafadan River. One day, though, Illtyd left Trynihid and became a monk under St. Dubricius, founder of numerous abbeys and churches in Wales. Some accounts say Dubricius encouraged him to become a monk; others say an angel told him to leave his wife for the monastery.

Soon, he felt called to live as a hermit. But, as so often happens, other men began gathering around him, so Illtyd founded Llanilltud Fawr (Llanwit Major) Monastery in Glamorgan. The abbey stressed learning, and became a school and missionary center in Wales.

Another legend says St. Germanus of Auxerre trained Illtyd and placed him in charge of the Llanwit monastic school.

Illtyd was known for doing miracles and good works, including the miraculous repair of a damaged seawall and being kept alive by heavenly intervention when he escaped a chieftain by living in a cave. He also is credited with accompanying a convoy of ships loaded with grain to Brittany, which was suffering from famine.

Various sources say he died in Brittany, Llanwit or Defynock.

Despite the many uncertainties about Illtyd, we do know that he is considered one of the greatest Welsh saints, for whom many churches and places were named.

And a prayer to him for safe hunting wouldn't be out of order.