Breton Saint Ronan

Submitted by Padrig Morin

Breton Saint: Sant Ronan - Saint Ronan

Sant Ronan (also called Reun in Breton) was born in Ireland in the 5th century from pagan parents. He travelled to Brittany where he landed in Pors Liogan in Leon province circa 500. there an angel requested him to go and live in Breton Cornwall ( village of locronan) to save his soul. He may still have been weak in his new faith at the time. His pagan parents were converted by Sant Padrig (Saint Patrick) .

One day, he saw a man crying in despair running after a wolf who carried one of his sheep. Sant Ronan prayed god to save the sheep and the sheep appeared safe at the feet of the saint.

On false accusations of murdering Keben's daughter, king Gradlon got Sant Ronan to be jailed in Kemper (Quimper) and condemned him to be tied to a tree and devoured by two starved and wild dogs. Sant Ronan made the sign of the cross over his heart and the two dogs left him alone . after this incident he left to Hillion where he established an hermitage and died years later.

He could cure the blind, the deaf and dumb as well as the paralytics

His worship is still very popular in Brittany, a 5 miles tro mihini (a walk around the monastic property) in his honor is held every year in Locronan and a 12 km one is held every 6 years.

« He was more an earth spirit than a saint, his power on natural elements was scary. His character was violent and weird, one never knew beforehand what he will do or what he wanted. he was respected, and his will to walk alone on the path inspired fear » Ernest Renan, Breton writer 1893.

60x40 cm, acrylic on canvas, 22 carat gols leaf (Greece) and 995 silver leaf (Thailand).

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