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Hagiograffeg Gymreig Gyfoes | A Modern Welsh Hagiography
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Where is Wales?
Wales is one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, sharing the island of Great Britain with Scotland and England. It covers an area of 8,024 square miles (20,782 square km²), and its population is over three million. The principality is divided into 22 local government areas which vary considerably in
size. Rural Powys, which includes much of the sparsely populated “Desert of Wales” (a large expanse of moorland) is 47 times bigger than Blaenau Gwent in the South Wales Valleys. Wales boasts the two smallest cities in the UK, St Asaph and St Davids.
Much of Wales’ landscape is protected, ensuring its beauty will be preserved for generations to come. Around a quarter of the country lies either within one of its three National Parks (Eryri (Snowdonia), Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), and Pembrokeshire Coast) or one of its five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs): the Llŷn Peninsula, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley, the Gower Peninsula, Anglesey and the Wye Valley. There are also more than 600 castles in Wales. Some have been lived in continuously for a thousand years, some are romantic ruins, and others have disappeared, leaving almost no trace.
Wales is a proud nation. Many people feel a strong sense of pride in their Welsh heritage. This pride encompasses culture, history, and identity, the Welsh language, its unique traditions, its contributions to music and literature, and its stunning landscapes. The Welsh are also proud of their history, including their Celtic roots, their resilience, their contributions to the Industrial Revolution, and the establishment of the National Health Service.
Who is Neil?
Neil Hook is an Anglican priest in the Church in Wales. He has ministered for nearly thirty years in the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon and both Area Dean and latterly Local Ministry Area Dean for the Diocese of St Davids. He is currently incumbent of the parish of Haverfordwest in the Daugleddau Local Ministry Area in Pembrokeshire.
He has served as assistant Diocesan Director of Ordinands, Diocesan Youth Advisor, and Training Incumbent as well as being an active member of diocesan committees and taskforces. On a provincial level (all Wales) he has been a member of the Governing Body of the Church in Wales, and secretary to Provincial Consultations and Committees. Neil has served as a trustee of the Archbishop Rowan Williams Hermitage Trust for over ten years, and is an active confessor and spiritual director.
Neil’s interests outside of the life of the Church include science and speculative fiction, which led him to spend five years as a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Science at the University of Glamorgan. During this time, he authored academic papers, wrote three science books, contributed chapters to two science textbooks and consulted for the BBC, Channel 4, the British Science Museum and NASA’s Astrobiology Institute. He has enjoyed being a panel member and featured presenter in many international conferences in Europe and North America. More recently he completed a Research Masters at the University of Chester focusing on Theological Development Models for individuals and communities.
Neil has a fascination for learning, and his natural talent for speaking and teaching are compelling. From sermons to lectures, book writing to school assemblies he loves to share his knowledge and inspire people with his faith and love of God.
A Tertiary Franciscan for over thirty years, Neil has an affinity with Franciscanism, and a lifelong love of the lives of the saints. He strives through his faith and love to lead people to a deeper experience of God's love.
Why the Saints?
Saints are individuals recognised by the Church as having lived exemplary lives of holiness. Those saints, along with all the faithful departed who are in Heaven, are believed to live with God. They are seen as being in full communion with God, united with Christ, and participating in His eternal life.
Inspiration and Role Models
Many Christians see saints as examples of how to live a life devoted to God. Their stories, whether of overcoming personal struggles or dedicating their lives to service, can inspire others to deepen their own faith and commitment.
Intercession
A key aspect of devotion to saints is the belief that they can intercede with God on behalf of those who ask for their prayers. Christians might ask for a saint's help in specific situations.
Patron Saints
Many saints are considered patrons of specific causes or professions. For example, Saint Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians, and Saint Luke is the patron saint of artists and physicians.
Personal Connection
People can develop a personal connection with a particular saint whose life story resonates with them, or may choose a confirmation saint whose example they admire.
Veneration, not Worship
It is important to note that Christians venerate, or honour, saints, but do not worship them. Divine worship is reserved for God alone.
The "Age of Saints" in Wales (5th and 6th centuries) was a period of intense Christian activity, particularly after the Roman withdrawal and the arrival of Anglo-Saxon paganism. Welsh saints, both native and those who came from elsewhere, established churches and monasteries, spreading Christianity and shaping Welsh culture and identity. These figures, like Saint David, are celebrated for their missionary work, asceticism, and miracles, and their stories continue to be important parts of Welsh heritage. Wales is often described as a land of myth and legend. Deeply intertwined within its history and culture are the saints, whose stories and traditions are inextricably woven into the Welsh landscape and identity.
The saints and notable persons featured on this page all have a Celtic connection, and are just a few examples of the many thousands of individuals recognized as saints by the Christian Church. Their lives and works offer examples of faith, service, and dedication to God and others, inspiring believers throughout history as well as in our modern age today.
