Saint Melaine of Rennes

Also known as

• Apostle of France
• Melan
• Melanie
• Melanius
• Melen
• Mellion
• Mullion

Memorial

• 6 November
• formerly 6 January

Profile

Monk. Bishop of Rennes, France during the 5th and 6th centuries when the Franks were conquering all of Gaul. Nearly eliminated idolatry in his diocese. Close friend and advisor to King Clovis. Required his priests to stop “wandering from cabin to cabin, celebrating Mass on portable altars, accompanied by women who administered the chalice to the faithful.” Had a brief conflict with British evangelists who tried to introduce Celtic liturgical forms, confusing the new converts. Played a leading role at the Council of Orleans in 511.

Born

• in Placet, Brittany (in modern France)

Died

• c.535 of natural causes
• the abbey of Saint Melaine, Rennes, France was built around his tomb

Patronage

• Mullion, Cornwall, England
• Saint Mellyan, Cornwall, England

Representation

• bishop standing on a devil
• bishop driving a devil before him
• dead bishop on a sailing ship carrying his body upstream

Canonized

• Pre-Congregation

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

MLA Citation

• “Saint Melaine of Rennes“. Saints.SQPN.com. 22 January 2013. Web. 19 May 2013. <>