Saint Aelhaearn

Saint Aelhaiarn or Aelhaearn (Welsh for "Iron Brow"; fl. early 7th century) was a Welsh confessor and saint of the British Church. He was a disciple of Saint Beuno. His feast day was usually observed on 2 November, although it is sometimes recorded as the 1st and is no longer observed by either the Anglican or Catholic church in Wales. Saint Aelhaiarn is listed among the Bonedd y Seint (Genealogies of the Saints). He was the brother of saints Llwchaiarn and Cynhaiarn and son of Hygarfael or Cerfael, son of Cyndrwyn, a prince of the Powysian dynasty descended from Vortigern, king of Britain. The area of Cyndrwyn's control was centred on the Severn valley around Shrewsbury. Aelhaiarn was said to have been a disciple of Saint Beuno, who also a member of the dynasty and thus a cousin. Beuno's activity was sponsored by Cadfan and other members of Gwynedd's Cuneddan dynasty; Aelhaiarn seems to have accompanied him out of Powys to Edeirnion and thence to northeastern Llŷn. The principal miracle associated with Aelhaiarn was actually performed by Beuno, who was said to have raised him from the dead (among six others). The 18th-century version of the story given to John Ray at Llanaelhaearn provides a folk etymology for Aelhaiarn's unusual name. It claimed that Beuno (Byno) was accustomed to disappearing from his cell near Clynnog every night to travel 4 miles (6.4 km) to pray on a flat stone in the middle of the Afon Erch. One night, as Beuno returned, he saw a man hidden in the dark; he then prayed that, if the stranger were on some good errand, he should attain it but, if his intent were ill, that some example be made of him. Immediately upon saying this, he saw wild animals appear from the forest and rend the man limb from limb. Beuno reconsidered when he discovered that it was his own servant who had been spying upon him. The saint set the bones and limbs together except for the bone beneath his brow, which was lost.