Saint Efflamm

Saint Efflamm is a semi-legendary penitent who was born in Britain and who died in Brittany. His feast is 6 November. According to a late tradition forged by the Treguier scriptorium in the 11th century to legitimize the origins of the monastery of Tréguier and the ecclesiastical properties in the surrounding area, Efflam was the son of an Irish king. Born in the late-fifth, early-sixth century, married very young to Enora, daughter of an Irish king, he took a vow of chastity. An angel helped him to resist temptation, and he fled to Brittany, disembarking at Plestin-les-Grèves, in Trégor, where he had lived for a time in the company of Saint Iestyn. According to another tradition, was obliged by his father to marry the daughter of a king of Britain, in order to establish peace; they never consummated their union. He came from Ireland with his wife Enora and both consecrated themselves to God in a hermitage in the forest. Efflam died in the late-sixth century, although the exact year in which he died is unknown. Albert Le Grand recounted the story of Saint Efflam in his book Les Vies des Saints de la Bretagne Armorique, published in 1636: The Saint, with his companions, passed over the sea and fortunately came to the coast of Armorica in the parish of Plestin-les-Grèves. Their ship stopped opposite a large rock. At the time there was a very large forest, from which Efflam and his troop, descending from their ship, saw a horrible dragon coming out, which retreated into its cave, about a thousand paces away from the rock. This dragon used to claim human prey of royal blood every year on Christmas Eve. It was brought to him at nightfall at the foot of the rock. Children who died without baptism were also delivered to him. King Arthur was in pursuit of the dragon; and Efflamm helped Arthur to get rid it. Efflamm drew a spring to quench his thirst at what is now the village of Saint-Efflam (in Plestin-les-Grèves), he then prayed before the monster's lair.