ST GILDAS THE ALBANIAN, CONFESSOR - 29 JANUARY

 

 ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY

Saints celebrated on the 29th of January

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

ST GILDAS THE ALBANIAN, CONFESSOR 

(Saint Gildas, the Albanian, or the Scot, Confessor.) His father, who was called Caunus, and was king of certain southern provinces in North Britain, was slain in war by king Arthur. 

HE ASPIRED TO A HEAVENLY KINGDOM

St Gildas improved temporal afflictions into the greatest spiritual advantages, and, despising a false and treacherous world, aspired with his whole heart to a heavenly kingdom. 

HE RETIRED INTO CERTAIN DESERT ISLANDS

Having engaged himself in a monastic state, he retired with St Cado, abbot of Llan-carvan, into certain desert islands, whence they were driven by pirates from the Orcades. Two islands, called Ronech and Ecni, afforded him for some time a happy retreat, which he forsook to preach to sinners the obligation of doing penance, and to invite all men to the happy state of divine love. 

GLASTONBURY

After discharging this apostolical function for several years, he retired to the southwest part of Britain into the abbey of Glastonbury, where he died and was buried in 512. 

William of Malmesbury and John Fordun mention his prophecies and miracles. 

(From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints)