Saint Illtud

Illtud lived in Wales in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. According to tradition, he was a soldier who left the military life after a call to conversion and became a monk. He founded the monastery and school of Llanilltud Fawr (Llantwit Major), which became a great center of learning; tradition names Saints David, Samson of Dol, Gildas and Paul Aurelian among his pupils. He is remembered as one of the fathers of Christian Wales.

The ancient church of St Illtud at Llantwit Major, with its collection of early Christian carved stones, stands on the site of his monastery. Several places in Wales and Brittany bear his name.