Tysilio

St. Tysilio was a Welsh bishop, prince and scholar, son of the reigning King of Powys, Brochwel Ysgithrog, maternal nephew of the great Abbot Dunod of Bangor Iscoed and an ecclesiastic who took a prominent part in the affairs of Wales during the distressful period at the opening of the 7th century.

Tysilio probably started his career in Trallwng Llywelyn (Welshpool) and afterwards took up residence in Meifod where he was associated with Gwyddvarch and St Beuno. He founded the second church in Meifod - the "Eglwys Tysilio". His feast day, or "gwyl-mabsant", was the 8th November which was also the date of the patronal festival and "wakes" in the nearby parish of Guilsfield, where a holy well was dedicated to him - the "Fons Tysilio".

In the 7th century, the Celtic Church was a conglomeration of scattered churches, as they were all over Europe and Asia Minor. Saints could be canonised by the pope or by popular acclamation of other Christians according to custom. David, Patrick and Teilo were ordained in Armorica and consecrated bishops in Jerusalem by the Patriarch and St Patrick studied at the Abbey of Saint-Germain en Auxerre, where he was ordained as a Catholic priest and later became Bishop. He was also canonised by acclamation by a local bishop. The canonisation of St. Tysilio too was ratified by the authority of the bishop of St Asaph.

Today the name of Tysilio is remembered in several church and place names in north Wales; most famously in the longest place name in the United Kingdom, "Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch", which translates into English as "Saint Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio of the red cave". The name, however, is a late 19th century invention for the burgeoning tourist industry in the area.

References

*Simpson Jones, T. and Owen, R. (1901), A History of the Parish of Guilsfield (Cedigva), Montgomery Collections 31, 129-200.