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Baring-Gould’s sources: Richard Challoner on this day, in his British Martyrology; coupling with them S. S minus, abbot, S. Maruan, monk, SS. Crewen, Helen, Theda, and Germoch. There is no other authority for placing these saints on Oct. 27. S. Breaca’s proper day, however, is said to have been on June 4, but on what authority we do not know.] Unfortunately the acts of most of the Cornish saints have been lost In Leland's time several existed. He says, in speaking of S. Ives in Cornwall, that the church was dedicated to S. Ia, daughter of a nobleman who came from Ireland, and was a disciple of S. Barrie. Ia and Elwyn and several others came to Cornwall and landed at Pendinas, where now stands S. Ives. A certain Dinan, a Cornish prince, built a church at Pendinas at the request of S. Ia, “as is written in the Legend of S. Ia.” In another place Leland says that Barrie was a companion of S. Patrick, and refers to the Legend of S.Wymer as his authority for the statement. Breaca was bom in Leinster or Ulster. The saint was educated in a monastery in Ireland, founded by S. Brid get.2 She came to Cornwall accompanied by Sininus, the abbot who was at Rome with S. Patrick, Maruan the monk, King Germock, Elwen, Crewenna, Helena, and Theda.3 Breaca’s party were encountered at Revyer by Tewdwr, who slew some of them. Breaca then went to Pencair, and 1 A somewhat similar story is told of S. Tyllo, Feb. 9. In this case the fact that there were two Abbana, one of Kill-Abban the other of Mogharnoide, was forgotten. They were merged into one, and then this fable was invented to account for his having two bodies.
…thence to Trenewth. She built the churches in Trenewth1 and Talmeneth, “ as is said in the Life of S. Elwyn.w The body of S. Ia reposed in the church of S. Ives, which was built as a chapelry to the parish of Lelant, by virtue of a bull of Alexander V., given in 1410; and the church was dedicated on Feb. 3, 1434, by Edmund Lacy, bishop of Exeter. The brother of S. Breaca was S. Uni; he is patron of Lelant and Redruth.
S. Sininus or Senan, patron of a village and parish in Cornwall, was, perhaps, the priest associated with S. Patrick [apostle of Ireland (5th century)] by S. Germanus of Auxerre, called Sergedum by Jocelin, Segerum by Nenius, and Regirum (Segirum) by Probus. S. Maruanus has given his name to a parish, S. Merryn, or Merran, near Padstow; Lysons says of him only that he was a monk.
S. Germock has left his name, S. Germoe, to a parish near S. Breaca (S. Breage). In the middle of the 16th century Leland saw there his tomb and his seat. The seat still remains, a rude stone monument S. Elwyn has also given his name to a parish, S. Allen, or Alleyn. He was venerated on Feb. 22.
S. Breaca had three other companions, S. Crewenna, after whom Crewan takes its name; S. Helena, who has given her name to Helland, and S. Tecla, which is probably a mistake for S. Teatha, commemorated on Sept. 6. She has given her name to a parish in the hundred of Trigg-Major. James Yeowell reckons S. Levan as another companion of S. Breaca. He was murdered by the pagan Saxons. His spring and baptistery exist at the Land’s End. Lysons makes S. Buriana another companion of S. Breaca.* In the parish of S. Burian is the oratory of S. Dellyn. 1 Not Trenewth near Twtagel, but near Crowan. Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, 2873. S. Elesbaan.
Another saint of the neighbourhood, and of the same company, is S. Gwythian the martyr. Another saint is S. Gwymer or Wymer, whose legend Leland referred to. He can hardly be the same as S. Gwythian, as supposed by some. S. Breaca is said first to have landed at Revyer, where some of her party were massacred by Tewdwr. Revyer is S. Ive’s Bay, or the mouth of the Hayle. Gwythian was one of those who were put to death by him.
Lezant and S. Breach also reckon S. Breaca as their patrons. S. Ive is pronounced by the Cornish S. Eve; the parish church of S. Eva or Ewe is also dedicated to her.