Hi, it’s Lize. I’m picking up the thread of Saint Corentin’s story because I digressed a lot at the end of the previous video. I’ll summarize : Corentin was born around 375, in Locmaria, near Quimper. He became a hermit in Ménez-Hom, performing miracles, including the regenerating fish and the Primel spring. We said that King Gradlon was impressed by Corentin’s talent and, to congratulate him, gave him land on which to build a monastery. Since he needed a bishop to establish his royal authority, he decided to boldly take charge of the matter.
Which brings us to a key episode in the life of our saint : Gradlon sent him, along with Gwénolé and Tudy, to Saint Martin of Tours. Here again, it’s limited for the dates, but it’s more a question of understanding the intention of the monk who wrote the Vita, later, in the 9th century : Saint Martin was Archbishop of Tours from 371 to 397. In previous videos, we have several times mentioned the «Breton schism », schism in quotation marks. Until 848, the dioceses of Rennes, Nantes and Vannes are considered to be subordinate to the authority of the Archbishop of Tours. They were little invested by Breton migrations from across the Channel, mainly Wales and Cornwall. While to the west of Armorica, the Breton dioceses generally did as they pleased and (to simplify) let the Gallo of the eastern part of the peninsula deal with the Franks, Clovis and Co. But in 848, well after the period that concerns our saints of Tro Breiz, the bishopric of Dol, initially that of Saint Samson, seceded and established itself as the archbishopric of Brittany. We also say «in the metropolis ». Ah, but that didn’t go down well. They bickered a lot, each party showed cunning, strategy, and the search for political support, until Pope Innocent III settled the conflict in favor of the archbishopric of Tours in 1199. For the end of the story, know that since 1859, the dioceses of Brittany have come under the archdiocese of Rennes, created on that date. Not sure that the Bretons of the West are delighted. You understand then that, in the Vita of Saint Corentin, when it is said that he was consecrated bishop by Saint Martin of Tours, it is not insignificant, not anecdotal : it is a matter of affirming that the diocese of Quimper draws its legitimacy from the metropolitan of Tours. Not from these irresponsible secessionists of Dol ! But after all, why not ? If Corentin was Armorican, if he was really born around 375, he was then 22 years old at the death of Saint Martin, that makes a young bishop, but well… and if he lived before the great migration of the Bretons, which occurred in the following century, the latter had not yet established their counter-power ? And so the Christians of the tip of Armorica were indeed dependent on Tours, like the city of Vannes with Patern ? Patatras, Dom Lobineau thinks that Corentin lived in the 500s, which throws everything into disarray. And besides, Dom Plaine adds another layer by pointing out that Gradlon, the king of Cornwall, Corentin’s benefactor, was in contact with Clovis and the Franks, so at the end of the 5th century and hey presto, he also throws us a good hundred years in the face.
Come on, let’s not dwell on it, let’s get back to the legend.
So… on the orders of King Gradlon, Corentin leaves for Tours with Gwénolé and Tudy. The king leaves it to Martin to choose which of the three should be bishop. Martin decides on Corentin and instructs him to «bless » the other two as abbots of their respective abbeys in Landévennec and Loctudy. Here again, it’s a way of asserting the authority of the bishop over the abbots, the authority of Rome over the monks. I don’t know about you, but I preferred stories of dragons, witches and masses on the backs of whales ! Gradlon gives his castle of Quimper to Corentin to build his cathedral there, while he himself leaves to settle in… the city of Ys. I’ll let Saint Anne who should soon tell you the legend of the city of Ys, she knows it better than I do.
And in the end, Corentin dies ! Is that all ? That’s all ! Then there are stories of relics expatriated upon the arrival of the Normans, a femur that reappears and works miracles, the first of which is that it is in fact an arm bone, and the town of Quimper takes the name of Quimper-Corentin.
Ah, there’s Saint Anne. Lize. – Hi, Anna, how are you ? Anna. – I’m fine. I’m still really happy to be here ! And you, my daughter, how are things ? Not too sad that it’s over ? Lize. – A little. It was a nice trip.
Anna. – Sure. Is Corentin around ? Lize. – Yes, do you want me to go get him ? Anna. – I’d love to. Thanks, my dear.
Lize. – Ah, could you tell the legend of the town of Ys while you wait ? Anna. – To whom ? Lize. – To the people who are here.
Anna. – Ah, well, yes. Lize. – See you later, Anna.
Anna. – Ah, wait a minute. Tell me, would you like to dedicate a video to me one of these days ? I’d love to have my own little video, too.
Lize. – Of course, I’ll do some research and make it for you.
Anna. – Thank you, darling, you’re so cute.
Lize. – Bye, bye. Anna. – Bye, bye.
So, the city of Ys. A beautiful story, a little sad at the end. Since it was a legend people told each other at wakes, there are lots of versions. I’ll tell you the one that seems to please the most. King Gradlon, King of Cornouaille in Armorica, was a famous and very stubborn warrior. One day he decided to conquer lands in the northern countries, we don’t really know where, but it’s far away, it’s cold and very foggy. Everything went well, they pillaged, raided, emptied cellars, committed all sorts of abuses, when they arrived in front of a beautiful, particularly fortified castle. Not easy to take, «the biau chatiau. » After a while, the troops began to grumble : there was only ice and fog around, nothing to plunder, nothing to eat, nothing to drink, not a single young girl… with all due respect to their king, they were beginning to have doubts.
Someone volunteered to speak to Gradlon, who everyone knew couldn’t stand being opposed to his decisions. And indeed, when the delegate put to him the proposal to take the boats back and return to the warmth of Brittany… «Well, all of you get lost, you bunch of cowards, I’ll stay. » Armed with their leader’s authorization, the troops quickly re-embarked, thinking they would never see him again. It was then that a very beautiful young woman, bewitching, blonde with light eyes, Malgwen, appeared at the foot of the ramparts . Gradlon, gruff as he is, has his heart beating faster in front of the beautiful lady ! He wants to seduce her, talks about his kingdom, his power, his troops. He puts on a show ! But very gently, she suggests he shouldn’t show off too much because she has seen that they have all left, leaving him alone in the land of ice. She explains to him that she is the queen of this kingdom and that she was waiting for a courageous man who will rid her of her old husband, a fat, drunkard full of soup who dozes all day.
Gradlon hesitates. Well, just like that, in cold blood ! But the lady is very beautiful and she promises him that if he grants her request, she will leave with him and take all her riches with her. Ah, you can’t refuse that. They enter through a back door, Gradlon kills the old husband, and… but how can they leave since all the boats are far away ? Malgwen is not troubled, she goes to look for Morwarc’h (Morvark), her horse that runs faster than the wind and rides on the waves. And hop, pataclop, pataclop, pataclop on the waves, they join Gradlon’s sailors. I don’t know if Malgwen slipped some ingots into her pockets because the storu no longer talks about riches.
Gradlon and Malgwen are very much in love. Shortly after, the queen becomes pregnant, she gives birth to an adorable little girl, Dahut, but does not survive the birth. Gradlon remains alone with his child. The more the little girl grows, the more she resembles her mother, the more passionately Gradlon loves his daughter. Gradlon had given his Quimper lands to Corentin and he had settled in the city of Ys. This name means the City Below. It was located at sea level and a high wall sheltered it from the waves of high tides. The gate that led to the shore could only be opened with a key that Gradlon always carried with him. Ah, there’s Corentin who heard his name…
Are you okay, Corentin ?
Corentin. – Yes.
Anna. – That’s all ? You know that in a civilized world, we add «and you ? »
Corentin. – And you ?
Anna. – I’m okay, thanks ! I was telling the legend of the city of Ys.
Corentin. – I know.
Anna. – Did you sleep badly ?
Corentin. – No.
Anna. – Do you have worms ?
Corentin. – (contained fury) I can’t stand this story. That kid who partied every night, who changed lovers every night, was an insult to the image of Our Lord.
Anna. – Well, she was a teenager left to her own devices. I’ve seen a few take advantage of their parents’ absence to organize hellish parties.
Corentin. – You said it !
Anna. – Just an expression. And you know my point of view on your Hell. I prefer my Otherworld.
Corentin. – Okay, let’s not go over this again, shall we ?
Anna. – Are you going to excommunicate me ?
Corentin. – Stop, Anna, stop ! How can you defend this sinner who stole the key to the city gate from her sleeping father ? A thief and a criminal : it’s because of her that the floodwaters entered the city and drowned the population. She has no excuse.
Anna. – Only that of having been in love, subjugated by a man who took pleasure in destroying her ; the only one who resisted her led her to her downfall. Passion can sometimes lead to acts that…
Corentin. – The facts are the facts, Anna ! What you call «passion » is nothing but repugnant lustful desire.
Anna. – You’re very lucky, Corentin, never to have committed the unjustifiable. But it’s not in the order of the world that everyone stinks of old goat to ward off temptations.
Corentin raises his crozier and advances menacingly towards Anna. She bursts out laughing. Corentin is offended.
Corentin. – What ?
Anna. – But Corentin, everything’s fine ! Relax ! You don’t have to conform to your legend ! It took a stern and uncompromising bishop to tell the story of the City of Ys…
Corentin. – It wasn’t me !
Anna. – It wasn’t you who pushed Dahut into the waves, probably…
Corentin. – It was Gwénolé !
Anna. – Yes, yes, of course. But he was subordinate to you, wasn’t he ? Corentin is embarrassed.
Corentin. – Well… yes…
Anna. – You have to take responsibility, my boy. Either the bishop dominates the abbot and you are responsible for his actions, or you renounce your hierarchical position !
Corentin suddenly relaxes and smiles sincerely.
Corentin. – You’re formidable, Anna ! You old witch !
Anna. – Ah, I’ve found you again, my little guy ! I love you like that. Will you take me to visit your beautiful cathedral ?
Corentin. – With pleasure.
Anna. – But first, we’re going to celebrate our reunion. (She takes a bottle of cider from her bag and pours two bowls) A little drink of cider ? Yec’hed mat ?
Corentin. – Yec’hed mat, Anna, Yec’hed mat !
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