Feast 21 June | ||
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Venerated in Eastern Orthodox Church
Roman Catholic Church
Anglican Communion Patronage Brittany, abbeys, wanderers Died 617 AD, Saint-Méen-le-Grand, France | ||
Méen of Brittany (Latin: Mevennus, Breton: Meven) (born ca. 540, died 617) was a Breton saint, thought to be Cornish or Welsh in origin. Most documentation of his life can be found in Vita Meveni, written in 1084 by Ingamar.
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Abbey of St. Méen
According to tradition, he followed Samson of Dol to Brittany, accompanied by Austol. After Samson of Dol's passing, he travelled to meet the Breton King Waroch II and had to cross the vast Paimpont forest. There he met a wealthy landowner named Caduon who offered him lodging and food for the night. After spending the evening conversing with Méen, Caduon could not resolve himself to let Méen go. Deeply moved by what he had heard, Caduon offered to donate all his possessions to erect a church and an abbey, on the condition that Méen himself would build and inhabit it.
Originally dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, the abbey was later named Abbey of St-Méen or Saint-Méon. Saint Méen is also honoured at St Austell and St Mewan in Cornwall.
Feast date
Saint Méen's feast day is 21 June.