I like to explore history.
I say explore rather than study because I feel that looking at history is an adventure. Some historians and writers have different viewpoints on the same event. So, for me, looking at history is an adventurous exploration.
One of the characters I have become acquainted with in my exploration is Illtyd. He is a character within the Celtic historical tapestry that piqued my interest.
In today’s world of community development, people assume that new strategies or ways of engaging communities need to be continually developed.
Yet when I read the stories about Illtyd, I see he lived a methodology over several hundred years ago that would do us well to explore, as it is as relevant today as it was then.
This character, Illtyd, was born in the late 5th century and, by all accounts, had quite a colourful life.
He was a Celtic warrior from Armorica, now Brittany, who, in the middle of his life, became a follower of Jesus. The Celtic tribespeople of his day held him in high esteem, and he was respected as a Holy man of God.
As I explored his story, the area that interested me and that we can learn from was when he set up the first educational college in the UK. This was developed in a small village called Llanilltud Fawr/Llantwit Major in Cymru/Wales*. This occurred in the early 6th century, 300 years before Oxford and over 600 years before Cambridge.
Many believe it was Britain’s earliest centre of learning and, in its heyday, it was thought to have over 1000 students. Many well-known activists of the time emerged from this centre of learning and had a significant developmental affect on not just Britain but on the people of Europe as well.
It’s worth noting at this point that there was no Cyrmu/Wales, Scotland, or England. The Welsh and Scottish saw themselves as Britons and belonged to tribes, clans, and smaller family units. Britain comes from the Roman word Pritain, which means painted ones. This is due to the act of native Britain painting themselves with blue dye before they entered battle.
Illtyd lived through a time of significant upheaval. The Anglo-Saxons spread across Britain, seeking land and conquest. They eventually pushed the native Britons into the country’s western and northern wild places.
During this early medieval feudal period, groups of people who followed Jesus sought to live out their faith in relational communities that supported the people and the land where they lived.
One of their strategies was to create safe spaces for vulnerable people, travellers and the local rural population. These safe spaces and places were known as Llans.
In our current context, the word Llan is often thought to translate to mean church, and most people today think of a church as a building. Such as
Llantrisant – the church of the three saints
Llantysiliol – the church of Saint Llantysillio
However, to the ancient Britons, the translation of the word Llan meant an enclosure of land. A particular area where people could meet together to be close to God. The location could be in a valley, by a stream, well, wood, or at a crossroads. They could consist of small settlements or more significant dwellings, but the word Llan did not mean a building.
Llantrisant should be known as the area or enclosure of the three saints. Today, over 600 villages and towns in Cymru/Wales begin with the word Llan.
These 600 centres resulted from Illtyd’s students travelling through Britain and Europe, creating these and other communities.
These communities focused on supporting the land and the local population. In these communities, they provided education in the spiritual, intellectual, physical, and practical aspects of life. They sought to create integrated centres of development for all, those with faith and those without faith.
Eventually, due to the impact, respect, and integrity of the person or group that inhabited the space, it became a place where the surrounding inhabitants saw the interconnected reality of God and the practical application of the greatest commandment given by Jesus—’Love God with all your heart and your neighbour as yourself.’
The Llans were places where business could be undertaken. As it was a holy place, people would have been encouraged to act with integrity.
Llans were places where people (rich and poor) were taught the language of the day. They were places where travellers could find rest and where herbal pain remedies were concocted and made available to the local community. All the sick and poor were cared for and assisted. Beer, mead, wine, and other herbal drinks were produced, as water was an unreliable drinking source; food was shared, bakeries developed, and the ostracized were supported, fed, and cared for.
They were spiritual and practical places whose influence extended beyond the area of the Llan.
These communities helped develop and support local rural social and economic well-being and connected across nations in relational networks. In some cases, urban communities were created that have developed into significant towns and villages today.
These towns and villages are now marks on a map, and many people living in these communities are unaware of how they developed.
Today, many engage in various community cohesion initiatives, and sometimes, we imagine we are forging new ground, creating something unique.
Yet the story of Illtyd reminds us that we are actually reconnecting to historical rhythms that are hundreds of years old. Rhythms that create authentic, integrated, loving, supporting and sustainable communities where all people can be safe, although uncomfortable.
They are rhythms that seek to foster places where people can experience a sense of shalom** and from where they can develop the hopes, passions and dreams that God has placed within them.
Our desire and hope at Re-Conn-Tore is to walk the path of Illtyd alongside people, organizations, charities and faith communities and be part of a relational network of people who build bridges, restore broken places and help influence our local environments and cultures.
NB
* Cymru is an ancient word from the old Brittonic language and translates to mean “Land of fellow-countrymen or compatriots”. However, Wales is a Saxon/English word that translates to mean “land of foreigners”.
** Shalom is a Hebrew word that means a state of peace: peace in relationships; peace with God; peace with the land; and peace with oneself.
I read several books and articles that were informative, helped me think through the positives and negatives, and aided my imagination concerning the above. Some are highlighted below.
-
- Exploring Celtic spirituality – Ray Simpson
- Visions and Voyages – Fay Sampson
- Early Celtic Christianity – Brendan Lehane
- Celtic Fire – Robert Van De Weyer
- Illtud – two lectures given 6th May 2000 by Reverend Canon Dr Patrick Thomas
- BBC The Story of Wales