Saint Saint Judicael

Judicael or Judicaël (c. 590 – 16 December 647 or 652) (Breton: Yudikael), also spelled Judhael (with many other variants), was the King of Domnonée, part of Brittany, in the mid-7th century and later revered as a Roman Catholic saint. According to Gregory of Tours, the Bretons were divided into various regna (minor kingdoms) during the sixth century, of which Domnonée, Cornouaille, and Gwened are the best known. They initially pledged themselves to Childebert I in exchange for legitimacy. They attempted to escape Frankish rule during the time of Chilperic I, who subdued Waroch II and at least the eastern realms of the region. Guntram, Chilperic's brother, retained his lordship over Waroch and the Brittani formed a Frankish tributary-vassal state through the reign of Dagobert I. Judicael was born around the year 590, the eldest son of Judael or Judhael, King of Domnonée, and Queen Prizel, the daughter of Ausoch, Count of Léon. He was the eldest of fifteen brothers and five sisters, several of whom, such as Judoc and Guinien, were revered as saints. When Judhael died around 605, although Judicael was his eldest son and heir, the throne was usurped by his younger brother, Haeloc, while Judicael preferred to retire to St John's Abbey in Gaël. After the death of Haeloc in about 615, Judicael finally left the monastic life behind in order to rule Domnonée. For twenty years, he ruled the kingdom with authority and wisdom. Around 642, Judicael retired again to St John's Abbey at Gaël or possibly to the monastery of Paimpont which he had founded. He left the throne to his brother, Judoc (aka Josse), and embraced the monastic life. The subsequent kings of Domnonée are unknown. Judicael died on Sunday 16 December in either 647 or 652. He was buried at Gaël Abbey, next to the founder and his abbot, Méen, and was later declared a saint. He is traditionally said to have been the brother of Judoc and Winnoc.