Saint Winwallus (3 March): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

On March 3rd, the Church honors St. Winwallo (Guénolé / Winwalo) — a fierce Celtic abbot whose life of extreme penance, perpetual prayer, and monastic discipline shaped Brittany for centuries. Born into a noble Welsh family nearly related to the princes of Wales, Winwallo was consecrated to God from birth. Amid the Saxon invasions, his family fled to Armorica (modern Brittany), where he would become one of the great founders of Breton monasticism. Under St. Budoc, Winwallo advanced rapidly in holiness and leadership. Sent with eleven monks to found a monastery, he first settled on a storm-beaten island before establishing the famous Abbey of Landévennec. His asceticism was extraordinary: Wore only goat skins and a hair shirt Mixed ashes into his bread Ate twice a week during Lent Slept on bark or sand with a stone for a pillow Prayed kneeling or standing without sitting in church for decades His rule reflected early Celtic monastic severity — deeply influenced by the Eastern Fathers. His monastery later adopted the Rule of St. Benedict in 818. After his holy death around 529 AD, his relics were translated across France and Flanders. He is venerated under many names: Guénolé, Winwalo, Venol, Winwallo, and more. St. Winwallo reminds us that the spirit of prayer is the soul of the religious life — and that true sanctity is forged through sacrifice. Pray for us, O holy Abbot of Brittany. 0:00 Introduction 0:20 Noble Welsh Origins & Consecration to God 0:45 Flight from the Saxon Invasions 1:30 Formation Under St. Budoc 2:05 Mission to Found a Monastery 2:28 The Storm-Beaten Island of Prayer 3:00 Foundation of Landévennec Abbey 3:25 Extreme Asceticism & Monastic Rule 4:15 Influence of Eastern Monasticism 4:40 Adoption of the Rule of St. Benedict (818) 4:55 His Spirit of Prayer 5:00 Holy Death (529 AD) 5:15 Translation of Relics 5:30 His Many Names Across Europe 6:20 Honored Family & Disciples 6:55 Sources & Ancient Lives https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/march/st-winwaloe-of-winwaloc-abbot/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.com for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶ 3. Subscribe to Other Video Platforms 🔴 SpiritusTV - https://spiritustv.com/@SensusFidelium 🔴 BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ 🔴 Rumble --- https://rumble.com/c/c-298311 🔴 My Catholic Tube - https://mycatholictube.com/videos/sensus-fidelium-channel/ 🔴 LBRY.tv --- https://lbry.tv/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 ODYSEE - https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 UGETube - https://videos.utahgunexchange.com/@Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 BrandNewTube - https://brandnewtube.com/@SensusFidelium 🔴 GabTV - https://tv.gab.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 GloriaTV - https://gloria.tv/Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 Brighteon - https://www.brighteon.com/channels/sensusfidelium ▶ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ ▶ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 Please "Like" our videos so that Youtube shares it to others by clicking the "Like" thumbs-up under the video = 👍🏻 ▶ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 🔴 Parler: https://parler.com/profile/Sensusfidelium/posts 🔴 SP3RN: https://www.sp3rn.com/community/pages/14-sensus-fidelium 🔴 GAB: https://gab.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Bastyon: https://bastyon.com/sensusfidelium 🔴 GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/sensus_fidelium 🔴 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sensusfidelium/ 🔴 Telegram: https//t.me/RealSensusFidelium 🔴 Truth Social - @SensusFidelium ▶ 8. Follow on iTunes: 🔴 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sensus-fidelium-catholic-podcast/id1477010758 #SaintOfTheDay #StWinwallo #Guenole #CatholicSaints #LivesOfTheSaints #CelticSaints #TraditionalCatholic #March3 #CatholicHistory #Monasticism