Pererindod

Pererindod ~ Pilgrimage

"It is not the pilgrim's purpose to tick off a list of places, or to collect these sites as badges of holiness – but to visit simply with a sense of openness to behold what is there. The greater the space of one's approach to a place of power, then the more it makes itself available to the sense organs of perception.”
—Ngak'chang Rinpoche

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Heddiw, cerddon ni trwy'r coetir i'r Eglwys Sant Issell. (Ar ôl bron saith mlynedd ers y tro diwethaf)

Roedd Sant Issell oedd yn rhoi'r enw Llanusyllt i'r ardal, ardal nawr yn fwy adnabyddus fel Saundersfoot. (Ond baswn i'n dweud bod Llanusyllt yr enw go iawn, wrth gwrs.)

Mae'n rhywbeth hudolus am hen eglwysi yn y cefn gwlad, yn arbennig pan maen nhw'n agor ac yn groesawgar i'r ymwelydd, hyd yn oed pan maen nhw'n wag. Mae synnwyr ymddiriedolaeth yn y pererinion sy'n cyrraedd yna.

Roedd yr awyrgylch yn dawel a cysegredig fel basech chi'n disgwyl o le sy wedi cynnal rhyw fath o wasanaeth ers 1492.

Roedd fel pererindod. Roedd hyfryd jyst i eistedd yno am sbel. Gallwn ni wedi aros yno am oriau ond roedd rhaid i ni gerdded yn ôl i'r dre ar ryw amser.

Rydw i'n edrych ymlaen at weld lleoedd Bwdist ym Mhrydain sy wedi parhau am pum ganrif. Mewn bywyd dyfodol efallai.

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Today, we walked through the woodland to St Issell's Church. (After almost seven years since the last time)

It was Sant Issell who gave the name Llanusyllt to the area, an area now better known as Saundersfoot. (But I would say that Llanusyllt is the real name, of course.)

There is something magical about old churches in the countryside, especially when they are open and welcoming to the visitor, even when they are empty. There is a sense of trust in the pilgrims who arrive there.

The atmosphere was quiet and sacred as you would expect from a place that has held some form of service since 1492.

It was like a pilgrimage. It was lovely just to sit there for a while. We could have stayed there for hours but we had to walk back to town at some point.

I'm looking forward to seeing Buddhist places in Britain that have lasted for five centuries. In a future life perhaps.

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(From a sign in the church)

SAINT ISSELL or SAINT USYLLT. CONFESSOR

Ussyllt is nowhere entered as a Saint in the Welsh Saintly Pedigrees, only as father of Teilo. In these his name is given under a great variety of forms, Ensych, Eussyllt, Hensych, Kusych, Enllech, and Eusyllt. The name is regularly derived from the Latin Auxilius.

Usyllt‘s father was Hydwn or Hyddwn Dwn, the son of Caredig ab Cunedda Wledig. According to the Iolo MSS he was a King in Ireland.

From the life of St. Oudoceus (where he is called Ensic) we learn that Usyllt‘s wife was Guenhaf, daughter of Liuonui, by whom he was the father of Teilo, and Anauved the wife of Prince Budic and mother of Saints Oudoceus, Ismael and Tyfai. Saint Mabon is also given as his son.

Usylit is associated entirely with Pembrokeshire. It was there at Ecclus Gunniau, apparently Penally, that Teilo was born, and Usyllt is the patron of the neighbouring church of St. Issell‘s in Welsh, Llan or Eglwys Ussyllt, which was one of the ‘Seven Bishop‘s Houses in Dyfed‘ mentioned in the Demetian Code of Hywel Dda. It is there stated that Llan Geneu and Llan Usyllt are ‘free from ebedius, because there is no church land belonging to them‘.

In the Taxation of 1291 the church is called ‘Ecclesia de Sancto Ussella‘ and in the Liber Communis of St. David‘s Cathedral ‘Eccla Sti. Ussuldi‘ (1490—1557)

William of Worcester in the 15th century says of St. Ussyllt; *S. Ussuldus confessor. Anglice Seynt Ussillo, plures ecclesia in Wallia‘ but we only know of one, possibly two, churches dedicated to him. The dedication of Haroldston St. Issell‘s is doubtful, whether to St. Ussyllt or St. Ismael, as Issell here may be a corruption of Ismeel. Ismael the brother of St. Oudoceus, and nephew of St. Teilo. Browne Willis ascribes both churches to St. Ismael. The Ussyllt in Granston parish is no doubt named after the Saint. |

(From Baring Gould and Fisher‘s Lives of the British Saints).