Baring-Gould’s sources: Gallican Martyrologies. Kalendars of the dioceses of Brittany. Authorities: — The ancient Breviaries of Rennes, Leon, Nantes, Vannes, Quimperle, in which the Life is given in nine lections. The Legendarium of the church of Treguier; Le Grand, and Lobineau.] According to Breton tradition S. Tugdual (Tual, Tudal, Tugduval, Tudgual, Tuzal, Tudwal) was a native of Wales. His father’s name is not given, but that of his mother was Popaea (in Breton Copaja),1 sister of Riwal Murmaczon, who is thought to have been the same as Hoel I. of Brittany. According to Welsh genealogists, he was the son of Cadfan, son of Cynan Meiriadog. The Welsh accounts do not name the mother. He was placed early in the school of S. Iltyt with his brother Leonor, probably at Lantwit Major. The Bretons say that on the departure of S. Iltyt, Tugdual was made abbot in his room, but the Welsh, who were much more likely to know the early career of the saint, 1 She was buried at Land-Coat, near Roche-Derien, and is the patron of that church.
…assert that he married Nefydd, daughter of Brychan, and had by her a son, Ifor, who is regarded as a saint, and another, Cynfor, father of Constantine Coronog. An island off the coast of Carnarvonshire is called after S. Tugdual or Tudwal; in it are the ruins of a chapel bearing his name, and it is probable that when he left the world he passed some time in retreat in this island. The Welsh accounts say nothing more about him, except that he was a bishop and a saint, they do not even give the name of his see. Here the Breton accounts step ir to complete the story. They relate that he was warned by an angel to come to Brittany, and he started with S. Ruelin, S. Guevroc,1 S. Goneri,2 S. Loevan,3 S. Brioc,4 S. Libouban, mother of S. Goneri, and his sister S. Seva.5 When they reached the coast of L^on, and landed at Ker-Morvan, in a little island, Plowmoguer, the ship with all its crew vanished before their eyes, and thus they were made aware that they had been supernaturally wafted across to Brittany.
Tugdual obtained a grant of land from the lord of Leon, and built a little monastery, where now stands the church of Tre-Pabu. When this was full he obtained from Derog, prince of Domnonia, a valley then called Traoun-Trecor, now Trdguier, and went to it; he built there a monastery, and round the monastery a town grew up. He is said to have there destroyed a monstrous serpent — that is, he rooted out the great stones of one of those interesting serpentine monuments, like that of Karnac, which were used for superstitious rites. After some time he left, hearing that the inhabitants of Lexobia or Coz-Guevded were determined to elect 1 Called also S. Kirecq, founder of Land-mewr, venerated on Feb. 17. 5 S. Goneri was buried at Plougrescant; he is venerated on July 18. 3 S. Loevan, Loenan, Laouenan, or Lavan, is patron of Treflaouenan in Leon. His festival is on the 2nd Sunday in August. 6 S. Seva, Seo, Seuve, Secon, patroness of S. S&ve, near Morlaix. S. TttgduaL him as their bishop on the death of Tiridran. He took refuge with S. Albinus at Angers (538-550), but Childebert interfered, and Tugdual was consecrated bishop. He moved the seat of his bishopric to his little monastery of Treguier. There he died, about a.d. 564. But a curious mistake had led to the growth of an astonishing fable, which has forced its way into all the breviaries of Brittany. He went by the name of Pabu-Tugdual, or Father Tugdual, and sometimes, to distinguish him from other abbots, as Leon-Pabu, the Abbot in Leon. In course of time this led to his being supposed to be Leo the Pope, and as Leo V. is said to have been of unknown nationality,1 the legend writers of the middle ages who composed the lections for the breviaries boldly identified Tugdual with Leo V., though Tugdual belonged to the 6th century, and Leo V. to the year 903. The following story was told to account for the Bishop of Treguier becoming Pope of Rome. Tugdual was obliged to leave his diocese because of the hostility of the nobles, and his determination to maintain his rights over the land given to the see. He went to Rome when the Pope was just dead, and arrived whilst the people were praying in the basilica of S. Peter for guidance in the election of a new pontiff. When Tugdual entered, a dove settled on his head. The people accepted the omen, and he was elected unanimously. After sitting in the throne of S. Peter for part of a year, an angel appeared to him and advised his return to Treguier, from which he had absented himself two years, that he might restore joy to his disconsolate diocese, where all the women had become barren since his departure. A snow-white horse was brought him by the angel; he mounted, and the steed bore him through the air and lodged him on a hillock near Trdguier, and then in a blaze of light the horse went up into heaven. Babies at once appeared 1 “ Leo V. cujus patriam historici non ponunt,” &c.— Platina, De Vit. Pont. throughout the diocese, as plentiful as blackberries. S. Tugdual, after this, built a chapel on the mount dedicated to the archangel. The hill still bears the name of Crech-Mikel. In the office for the collegiate church of S. Tugdual at Laval, this preposterous story occurs. In the hymn for vespers, “ Item, mutato nomine, Dictus Leo Britigene, Sedit in Petri culmine, Clams et charus ad vena,” the antiphon for the Magnificat is: — “ O quern Tugalum Trecoria, Roma Leonem Invocat, in Christi virtute repelle draconem. ” The seventh response at Matins [the night prayer of the Divine Office] is: — “ In Papam eligitur, nutu Deitatis, Tugalus, et efficitur Rector Petri ratis, Claves coeli bajulat, portis reseratis, Ilic facit ut pateant coelestia regna beatis.” In art he is represented as a Pope, with a dragon at his feet. The only relics [the bodily remains of a saint, or objects they used, kept with honor] that remain after the havoc of the Revolution are, some bits of tibias and femurs at Laval, and 2 few fragments of an arm-bone in the cathedral of Trdguier.
