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Teilo, Bishop of Llandaff

Wace's Dictionary of Early Christian Biography

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Teilo , bp. of Llandaff and one of the principal saints of Wales, was son of Enlleu ap Hydwn Dwn and cousin to St. David. He was born near Tenby, and educated with St. David and other celebrated Welsh saints. He opened a school near Llandaff, called Bangor Deilo, and on account of his proficiency in the Scriptures is said to have received the name Elios or Eliud. His withdrawal to Armorica on the outbreak of the yellow plague in Wales is counted by Pryce (Anc. Brit. Ch. 163) one of the few incidents in his life which can be considered historical. In the Chron. Series of the Bpp. of Llandaff ( Lib. Landav. by Rees, 623) he is said to have become bp. of Llandaff in. 512, so that Rees ( Welsh SS. 243) is probably safest in saying that his period in that see ended in its first stage with the appearance of the plague. [DUBRICIUS.]

Returning from Armorica after a stay, as is said, of 7 years and 7 months, he found St. David dead and the see of Menevia vacant. St. Teilo is said to have been elected to the vacant chair as archbp. of Menevia, but, preferring his old see, he consecrated Ishmael, one of St. David's earliest disciples, to be his suffragan at Menevia, raised others to the same rank in different parts of South Wales, while he himself removed to Llandaff, and, carrying with him the primacy, became archbp. with the title of the inferior see (Stubbs, Reg. 154, 156; Haddan and Stubbs, Counc. i. 115 seq.; Rees, Welsh SS. 174, 243 seq.; Pryce, Anc. Br. Ch. 158 seq.). The date of his death is variously fixed from 563 ( Lib. Land. 623) to 604 (Ussher). He is said to have died at a very advanced age.

The chief authority for his Life is Vita S. Teliavi Episcopi a Magistro Galfrido Fratre Urbani Landavensis Ecclesiae Episcopi dicata , belonging to 12th cent., and printed, with trans. and notes, in Lib. Land. by Rees, 92 seq., 332 seq. For MS. and other authorities see Hardy, Desc. Cat. i. pt. i. 130–132, pt. ii. 897, app.; Haddan and Stubbs, Counc. i. 146, app. C. 159.

[J.G.]