Mwrog

Unidentified Saint, late fifteenth century, Church of St Mary, Beaumaris

Little known saint associated with Llanfwrog near Ruthin, although evidence of a cult to Mwrog is also found on Anglesey.

Feast Day: 24 September

Various dates have been proposed for Mwrog's feast day. Browne Willis gives 6 January for Llanfwrog on Anglesey, and 16 January for Llanfwrog in Denbighshire, while Rice Rees agrees with 6 January but states 15 January as an alternative. However a number of late medieval and early modern manuscripts give 24 September, while one gives 23 September.

More information

Texts

A mid-fifteenth century prayer to Mwrog provides the sole source of written information about him. Although there are very few clues to anything about his life in the text, Gruffudd Nannau alludes to Mwrog's ability to heal the sick and the blind. He is also listed as a sailor among the retinue of Cybi in an englyn by Hywel Rheinallt.

Moliant i Fwrog

Fifteenth-century poem by Gruffudd Nannau.

Teulu Cybi Sant

Fifteenth-century englyn by Hywel Rheinallt.

Places

Only two places seem to be closely associated with Mwrog, Llanfwrog near Ruthin and Llanfwrog on Anglesey. The former appears to be the more significant, since he is described as 'Benrhaith, ail Beunoâ Rhuthun' (lord, a second Beuno for Ruthin) by Gruffudd Nannau in the fifteenth century. Both were formerly in the diocese of Bangor, but the two very localised churches do raise questions on whether the dedication was originally a single person or two locally important individuals.