Saint Gurval, Second Bishop of Aleth
Second Bishop of Aleth
Originally from Great Britain, Saint Gurval was the successor to Saint Malo on the see of Aleth in the 7th century. After founding a monastery and governing his diocese with holiness for nearly two years, he retired to solitude in Guer to end his days in prayer.
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SAINT GURVAL, SECOND BISHOP OF ALETH (640).
Youth and monastic foundation
Originally from Great Britain, Gurval dedicated himself early to asceticism and study before founding a monastery with his own possessions under the guidance of Saint Brendan.
Saint Gurval Saint Gurval Second bishop of Aleth and founder of a monastery. was from Gre at Britain. Sca Grande-Bretagne Birthplace of the saint. rcely out of childhood, he devoted himself to study, and learned along with letters the rules of ecclesiastical life. His ardor for mortification led him from his youth to tame his body through fasts and vigils; he applied himself to prayer, and gave great alms. His custom was to gather every day the young clerics of his age, and to address to them exhortations, which gave birth in many of them to the desire for a more perfect life. Not content with leading others to the practice of virtue, he wished to confirm his words by his actions, and to make Jesus Christ his heir. He therefore employed all his goods, which were considerable, in the construction of a monastery. When this work was completed, he embraced the monastic profession, under the guidance of the famous Brendan, master of many saints, an d subse Brendan Abbot of Llancarfan and spiritual master of Malo. quently became abbot of the monastery of which he was the founder.
Episcopate at Aleth
Designated by Saint Malo as his successor, Gurval left Great Britain to become bishop of Aleth, where he exercised a short but fruitful ministry.
Saint Malo Saint Malo Bishop of Aleth and a major figure in Breton hagiography. , having retired to Saintonge, moved with compassion for his people and thinking of appointing a successor, warned the brothers that as soon as he was dead, they should take care to bring Saint Gurval, as distinguished by his miracles as he was estimable for his virtues, to give him the government of t he Ch Aleth Former episcopal see located near the present-day Saint-Malo. urch of Aleth. Gurval had known by revelation that he would be raised to the dignity of bishop of that city. After the death of Saint Malo, his disciples went to Great Britain and begged Gurval to be willing to be their bishop. The venerable abbot, overcome by their entreaties, crossed the sea with them, was consecrated bishop of Aleth with the consent of the neighboring bishops and the metropolitan, and governed this Church for a year and a few months, or about two years. Although he was not bishop of Aleth for long, he did not fail to do much good in his diocese through the application he put into knowing his flock and providing for all its needs. His holiness, as much as his high rank, made him admired by everyone; and as long as he remained in his see, he was the consolation of his people, who would have well wished to have him as their bishop always.
Retirement and end of life
Desirous of solitude, he ceded his see to Cosifinit and retired first to Guer, then to an isolated cave with twelve priests to die there in peace.
The holy prelate did not believe he should respond to such legitimate wishes, and, after the time we have indicated, he had his archdeacon Cosifinit put i n his pla Cosifinit Archdeacon and successor to Gurval in the bishopric of Aleth. ce. In order to be able to occupy himself with God alone with more freedom and to prepare for death, he retired to a monastery in his diocese, whic h wa Guer Place of retreat of Saint Gurval. s at Guer, where he was followed by several priests, who willingly abandoned all their goods for the love of God. Gurval, troubled by the crowds of people that the reputation of his holiness attracted to Guer, took twelve of these priests, and, slipping away from the knowledge of his diocesans, retired to a cave, where he ended his life and rested in peace, full of days and merits.
Hagiographic sources
The life of Saint Gurval is documented by Lobineau, the Breviary of Saint-Malo, the Bollandists, and the works of Father Le Large.
Lobineau Lobineau Breton hagiographer, author of the Lives of the Saints of Brittany. , *Saints de Bretagne*. — Taken from the *Ancien Bréviaire de Saint-Malo*, in which one finds three lessons that contain an abridgment of his Life. These lessons were reproduced by the *Propre* of the same Church of 1768 and by the Bolland Bollandistes A society of Jesuit scholars who publish the Acta Sanctorum. ists. One finds in the *Histoire manuscrite des évêques de Saint-Malo*, by Fr. Le Large, an article on Saint Gurval.
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Ecclesiastical training in Great Britain
- Foundation of a monastery with his own assets
- Monastic profession under the guidance of Saint Brendan
- Election as successor to Saint Malo to the bishopric of Aleth
- Governed the diocese of Aleth for approximately two years
- Resignation of his office in favor of the archdeacon Cosifinit
- Retreat in Guer and then in a cave with twelve priests
Miracles
- Divine revelation of his elevation to the episcopate
- Unspecified miracles mentioned by Saint Malo