Malo (saint)

Founder of Saint Malo, Brittany (d. 621)

Saint Malo (sɛ̃. ma. lo; also known as Maclou, Maloù or Mac'h Low, or in Latin as Maclovius or Machutus, 27 March 520 – 15 November 621) was a Welsh mid sixth century founder of Saint Malo, a commune in Brittany, France. He was one of the seven founding saints of Brittany.

Malo's name may derive from the Old Breton machlou, a compound of mach "warrant, hostage" and lou (or loh) "brilliant, bright, beautiful". Details of Malo's career have been preserved in three medieval 'Lives' that seem to include incidents associated with multiple people bearing a similar name. Malo was probably born in Llancarfan (Wales) in approximately 520. He was the son of Dervel, sister of Amwn Ddu, and therefore cousin to St. Samson. He was placed in the abbot's care at a tender age, and grew up at the abbey, where he was ordained priest and assigned the office of preacher.

As a monk at Llancarfan Abbey in Wales, Malo was known for his participation in the voyage of Brendan the Navigator. Malo became Brendan's favourite disciple. A number of legendary tales of the adventures of Brendan and Malo survive. According to the Voyage of Saint Brendan the Abbot, they and their companions discovered the "Island of the Blest". Another story tells of an encounter with Maclovius, a dead giant whom Brendan temporarily revives and baptizes. On a second voyage, Brendan and Malo are said to have visited and evangelized locations including Cézembre, the Orkney Islands, and the northern isles of Scotland.

At Aleth, Malo served under a venerable hermit named Aaron. Upon Aaron's death in 544, Malo continued the spiritual rule of the district subsequently known as Saint Malo and was consecrated as the first Bishop of Aleth (now Saint Servan). Indirectly, the Spanish name of the Falkland Islands, Islas Malvinas, can be traced to Malo, as it is derived from the French, Îles Malouines and named by Louis Antoine de Bougainville in 1764 after the first known settlers: mariners, and fishermen from the port of Saint Malo. Pontoise Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Malo. Lesmahagow Priory in South Lanarkshire is also dedicated to him in the Latin form of his name, Machutus. He is the patron saint of the churches of St. Maughans and Llanfaenor in Monmouthshire and Llanfechell in Anglesey.