Saint Derfel Gadarn

Also known as

• Dervel the Mighty
• Terbillius
• Turville

Memorial

• 5 April

Profile

Born a prince, the son of King Hywel Mawr; grandson of Hoel I Mawr the Great. Brother of Saint Tudwal. Brother of Saint Arthfael. Soldier whose skill was celebrated the bards of his day; he fought in the battle of Camlan in 537. A life at war caused him to turn to religion. Hermit and then monk at Llantwit, Wales. Abbot of Ynys Enlli. Missionary. A wooden statue of Derfel on horseback was a great treasure of the church at Llanderfel; it was used in the pyre that burned Blessed John Forest.

Born

• c.566 in Wales

Died

• 6 April 660 at Ynys Enlli, Bardsey, Wales of natural causes
• relics at Llanderfel, Merionethshire, Wales
• relics destroyed by order of Oliver Cromwell

Canonized

• Pre-Congregation

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Early British Kingdoms
• For All The Saints, by Katherine Rabenstein
• New Catholic Dictionary
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

MLA Citation

• “Saint Derfel Gadarn”. Saints.SQPN.com. 4 April 2010. Web. 18 May 2013. <http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-derfel-gadarn/>