Saint Nennoke

The fame of her virtue and rare beauty led to her being asked in marriage by the son of the King of Scotland, to whom her father, with the advice of his barons, was willing to grant her, while reserving, as a good father, the consent of his daughter. He therefore proposed to Nennoke this honorable match, which was so pleasing to him and his nobility, imploring her to give her consent and thus fill the old age of her parents with happiness. The young princess had dreamed of something quite different; she aspired to nuptials superior to those of the earth: she was, in her heart, betrothed to the Son of the heavenly King.

"Dear and most honored father," she cried, throwing herself at the king's knees, "I do not doubt in the least the merits of the prince to whom you have destined me, nor the honor that would come to our house from my union with him; I doubt even less your paternal love; but I cannot hide it from you, I too, like my brothers and sisters, have resolved to reserve myself for God and to dedicate myself to Him alone. I do not believe, in refusing this noble lord, that I am violating the obedience I owe you, given the merit of the Spouse I intend to choose." Brukan was very astonished and very annoyed by his daughter's answer: she was his only hope! However, he said nothing painful to her; he returned very sadly to his wife Menduke, and gently urged her to use her maternal influence to bring their daughter to what was the ardent object of his desires.

Menduke wisely employed all the means in her power to satisfy her husband's order. She herself deeply desired to bring her daughter to yield to her father's wishes: they had given fourteen of their children to God; heaven should at least leave them, she thought, this one. But God does not yield to the world a heart that resolutely wishes to give itself only to Him. The tender mother failed, as the good father had failed, and as they both loved their daughter in a Christian manner, they yielded to her on a point that so obviously concerned her happiness. Joyful in her victory, the young virgin thought only of devoting herself entirely to piety, to make herself worthy of her sacred Spouse, thanking Him effusively for the constancy He had inspired in her.

Shortly after, Saint Germanus of Auxerre passed through Great Britain to combat the errors of Pelagius, and while at the court of King Brokac, he preach Brokac Prince reigning over a part of the island of Britain and father of Nennoke. ed there several times with the greatest fervor. Nennoke benefited greatly from his words, and when she had learned from his own mouth of the holy life led by several virgins in France, notably in Brittany, she felt the desire petite Bretagne Place of voluntary exile and foundation of the monastery. to retire there, and obtained from her parents, through prayers and tears, their assent to her wish. She was accompanied by several friends, some religious, and in particular by her godfather and godmother.

Having arrived in Brittany, they sent one of their number to Duke Guerech, bro ther of Kin duc Guerech Duke in Brittany who donated lands to Nennoke. g Badix, to ask for hospitality on his lands: which was graciously granted to them. Nennoke therefore raised an oratory, and had cells built for herself and her companions, where they buried themselves in the peace of the Lord and where they spent their lives serving Him. One day, when Prince Guerech was hunting, a stag he was pursuing came to take refuge in the oratory of Saint Nennoke, who was then in prayer with her daughters, of whom she was the superior, and lay down at her feet as if to implore her help. The prince not only spared the life of the poor beast, but after a pious conference with the holy abbess, he made a donation to her of the place where her monastery was built and of all the lands of the parish of Plémur. This place was called Land- Plémur Parish given to the saint by Duke Guerech. Nennoke from that moment on. This wa s in the yea Land-Nennoke Name given to the monastery founded by the saint. r 458.

Nennoke continued her angelic life there, governing her nuns with consummate wisdom and preparing generations of holy souls. After which heaven, pleased with her works and wishing to grant her the reward for them, sent her in an illness the announcement of her departure from the place of exile, and drew her gently to itself, on June 4 of the year 467.

Cf. Chapin, Vie d'une Sainte pour chaque jour de l'année.