| Budoc | |
|---|---|
| Abbot of Youghal; Bishop of Dol | |
| Born | 5th century a cask at sea off Brest |
| Died | 6th century |
| Honored in | Anglican Communion; Roman Catholicism; Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Major shrine | Plourin Ploudalmezeau |
| Feast | 8 December (now sometimes 9 December) |
| Patronage | Plourin Ploudalmezeau, France; Plymouth, England |
Saint Budoc of Dol (also Budeaux or Beuzec) was a Bishop of Dol, venerated after his death as a saint in both Brittany (now in France) and Devon (now in England). Saint Budoc is the patron of Plourin Ploudalmezeau in Finistère where his relics are preserved.[1] His feast day was celebrated on 8 December, the date still used in Devon,[2] but in Brittany this was moved to 9 December.[3]
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Saint Budoc was the Bishop of Dol in Brittany. The details of his life are shrouded in legend. He is reputed to have been grandson of the King of Brest. Budoc was supposed to have been born at sea under incredible circumstances. His mother, Princess Azenor of Brest, had been falsely accused of infidelity by her jealous stepmother. Budoc's furious father, the King of Goello (Treguier), had Azenor exiled, and near Brest had thrown his pregnant wife into the sea in a cask. There Budoc was born attended in his mother's visions by Saint Brigid. She took refuge in Ireland, where Budoc was raised. Both Azenor and Budoc were later welcomed back to the Kingdom of Brest after Azenor's stepmother fell ill, and upon her deathbed recanted the evil lies she had spread. (Evans, 1919) Budoc was raised and educated at Youghal monastery, and later became its abbot.[4] The vita of Breton Saint Winwaloe describes Budoc as a teacher living on the island of Laurea. Later Budoc was elected bishop, and then returned to Brittany, where he succeeded Saint Samson and Saint Maglorius as bishop of Dol and ruled for 26 years (according to the 10th century vita of Maglorius and the 11th century 'Chronicle of Dol').
Budoc is reputed to have sailed across the Plymouth Sound, until he found an inlet on the Devon side of the River Tamar. He landed in Budshead Creek, part of the present district of Plymouth called St Budeaux. His supposed activity suggests the foundation of an early church in Plymouth.[5] However, there is no evidence of the name in Devon prior to the 16th century. There is also an ancient church said to have been dedicated by him at Budock in Cornwall, and there was once one in Oxford too.[6] Saint Budoc's feast day is celebrated in Devon on 8 December.
Thou wast miraculously preserved from the ocean's fury
and, being sustained by the hand of God,
thou didst devote thyself to his service, O Hierarch Budoc.
Being showered with both temporal and spiritual honours both in Armagh and in Dol,
thou didst labour to win souls for Christ,
therefore we implore thine aid,
begging Christ our God that he will save our souls.[1]
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