Saint of the Day – 24 October – Saint Maglorius of Wales (Died c575) Bishop

Saint of the Day – 24 October – Saint Maglorius of Wales (Died 575) Bishop of Dol and Solitaire in France, Confessor, Monk, Missionary, Abbot, Miracle-worker, “Apostle to Guernsey and Sark” (Sark, French “Sercq” one of the Channel Islands, a dependency of Guernsey, located in the English Channel, south of England’s coast. Sark lies 11 km east of Guernsey and about 40 km west of the Cherbourg Peninsula of France). Maglorius was born in southern Wales and died in 575 at the Monastery he had founded on the Island of Sark. Patronage – of Sark. Also known as – Maglorious,, Maglorius of Dol, Maglorius of Maelor, Maghorus… Magloire… Maelor… Maglorio…

The Roman Martyrology states: “In Bretagne, the departure from this life of St Maglorious, Bishop, whose body rests in Paris.”

Saint Maglorius was born inWales at the end of the 5th Century. He was first cousin of Saint Samson (c490–565). They were both placed under the guidance of Abbot Iltut, disciple of Saint Germanus of Auxerre, who took particular care to train them in science and piety. When they were old enough to decide on the choice of a state of life, Samson retired to a Monastery. Maglorius returned to his parents and continued to practice all Christian virtues at home.

Amon, Samson’s father, was attacked by a dangerous illness some time later. He sent for his son and humbled himself before God, from whom he implored mercy. When his health was restored, he renounced his possessions to devote himself solely to the Lord, with his entire family.

This example had very happy consequences for Maglorius for, he was so touched that he came to Samson with Umbrafel his own father, Afrèle his mother and his two brothers. They all resolved to leave the world and immediately distributed their goods to the poor and to the Churches. Maglorius and his father became particularly attached to Samson, adopting the position of disciples and they obtained permission from him, to take the monastic Habit in the same house. Umbrafel was subsequently sent to Ireland and charged with the government of the Monasteries of that country.

When St Samson was consecrated regional Bishop, he associated himself with Maglorius , who had been elevated to the Diaconate. He took him with him to Armorica, to help him in his Apostolic work and to contribute with his zeal, to the propagation of the Gospel. King Childebert supported the holy missionaries, who were soon able to found Monasteries. Samson made his residence in that of Dol and gave the leadership of that of Kerfunt, or Kerfuntée, to Maglorius, whom he Ordained Priest, so that he could succeed him in the exercise of Episcopal functions.

Maglorius, following the example of his predecessor, preached the Gospel to the Breton,s who lived on the coasts. These peoples were Christians, at least for the most part but the misfortune of wars and the scourges which followed, had weakened the knowledge of Jesus Christ in them and had almost entirely erased it in many. The Saint continued to live with his Monks, as in the past. Under his clothing, he wore a hair shirt. He only ate barley bread and vegetables and a little fish on Sundays and holidays. His zeal and his charity left him almost no moment of rest and he was sometimes without being able to stop to eat for an entire day.

After three years of Episcopate, he formed the plan of going to live in solitude. This project was inspired by the divisions which reigned between the Counts of Brittany. He also believed that God desired of him, this complete separation from the world. After having obtained the consent of the people but without having consulted the neighbouring Bishops. Maglorius, was replaced by Bishop Budoc, whose zeal, enlightenment and virtues were well known by Maglorius. But the Bishops of France disapproved of such conduct and the Second Council of Tours forbade the Bretons from following it in the future.

Maglorius redoubled his austerities and burning with the desire to be united with God in the most intimate way, he avoided, as much as possible, conversing with men. But the reputation of holiness which he enjoyed soon led to the discovery of the place of his retirement. People went there from all sides to find relief from the needs of the soul and the body. If he found himself obliged to accept a few small gifts, it was to distribute them to the poor. Finally, no longer able to bear this influx of people who came to visit him, he resolved to retire into some solitude, where he could be entirely unknown to the world. But Bishop Budoc, whom he consulted, reassured him by making him understand that the good works he was carrying out, should make him sacrifice his particular taste for retirement. He, therefore, remained in the state in which he was and his miracles made his name more famous day-by-day.

The Count of Loiescon, whom he had cured of leprosy, having given him land on the Island of Geurnsey, he built a Church there and founded a Monastery where he gathered more than sixty Monks. During the famine which followed the death of King Chilperic, the monastery provided for countless people who were in need. Although the Monastery’s provisions were exhausted, Maglorius did not reduce the number of his Monks, as was advised. He placed his trust in God and he soon reaped the fruits – a ship loaded with provisions landed on the Island and broughtall the relief needed by all!

It was on Easter night, of the following year that the Maglorius was warned by Heaven, of the proximity of the day of his death. He no longer left the Church, unless he was forced to do so by necessity or by the utility of his neighbour. He often repeated these words of the Psalmist: “I ask only one thing of the Lord and that is, to dwell in His house all the days of my life.”

He died six months later, on 24 October 575. He was around eighty years old. During the Norman wars, his Relics and those of several other Saints, were brought to Paris for safety and deposited in the Church of Saint- Barthélemy, then in the Chapel of Saint-Georges, located outside the City walls. They were then transferred to the Church of Saint-Jacques, since called Saint-Maglorius. In the same place, also rested the Relics of Saints Samson and Louthiern, Bishops and of Saints Guinganthon and Escuiphle, Abbots.

One of the most well-known and detailed Miracles of St Maglorius concerns his rescue of a group of children. The children were playing in an abandoned wreck on the beach below the Monastery in Sark, when a sudden violent storm swept them out to sea. Maglorius swam out to sea when he heard their cries and saved them and the wreched boat, steering it to the safety of the shore, before vanishing.

Other miracles include – the destruction of a dragon on the Island of Jersey; the resurrected a drowned fisherman of Sark and that the putting to flight a fleet of Vikings.

Posthumous miracles of St. Maglorius are also included in the surviving texts. After his death, Sark was attacked again by Vikings, who sacked the Monastery and killed the Monks. When seven of the Vikings attempted to open St Magllorius’ tomb, they were blinded and many of the others turned and began to kill each other!

St Samson’s Life Here:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/07/28/saint-of-the-day-28-july-st-samson-of-dol-c-490-565/