Cadog (Cadocus)

According his late eleventh- or twelfth-century Life, Cadog was the son of Gwynllyw, a king of Gwent, and Gwladys, a daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog. His principal monastery was at Llancarfan in Glamorgan and many churches across south-east Wales were dedicated to him. His name appears in place-names and dedications in a variety of forms including Cadoc or Cattwg.

Feast Day: 24 January

Welsh medieval calendars give the feast day of Cadog as January 24, and the same date was celebrated at Padstow in Cornwall, while English medieval martyrologies give January 23. French sources give November 1 and September 21 or 23. The Oxford Dictionary of Saints gives 25 September, a date not mentioned by Baring-Gould & Fisher in their Lives of the British Saints.

More information

Images

Lost images from the churches dedicated to Cadog at Llancarfan, Cadoxton-juxta-Neath and Llanmaes are attested, the head at Llancarfan being drawn and photographed in the 1890s. In Britanny, Baring-Gould and Fisher note lost painted scenes from his Life at a chapel in Gouesnac'h, near Fouesnant, in Finistere, and illustrate a statuette at Lampaul-Guimiliau (38⁠–9).

Numerous images of Cadog were made for churches from the later nineteenth century, although only the large modern window at the church dedicated to him at Cowbridge incorporates more than a passing reference to the Life of Cadog. A scene of the saint attending Cain at her death is found at Brecon Cathedral, and his martyrdom at the hands of Saxon horsemen is depicted in the east window of the Church of St Cadoc, Caerleon.

In several instances Cadog is shown in combination with his saintly mother and father, Gwynllyw and Gwladys, including a depiction of him as a boy with Gwyladys at Bargoed. At Brecon, and on the pulpit at Pentyrch, he is shown with a mouse, and at Caerphilly, in a window also depicting Gwynllyw and Gwladys, he is shown with a stag.

View images of Cadog on the Stained Glass in Wales website