Orthodox Saints of Wales

Item No. 9781955890779

by Oswin Craton

When St. Gregory the Great sent St. Augustine of Canterbury to evangelize England in AD 595, Christianity was already long established in what is now Wales. Since the gospel may have reached this region as early as the late first century, Wales boasts innumerable Christian saints from that Orthodox/Celtic period of history. Even today the names of these saints dot the landscape of Wales, but while their names may be known, their lives and deeds have largely been forgotten. This small volume helps revitalize interest in and veneration of a number of these Orthodox holy ones, focusing primarily on those who make up what is called the "Golden Age of Saints" in Wales (the fifth through seventh centuries).

About the Author: Oswin Craton was born and grew up in Alabama but currently lives in Indiana. He is the author of Holy Fools (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2024) and also of A Journey of Fear and Joy, which is the story of his journey to Orthodoxy from a fundamentalist Protestant background. He is known in the music world under his birth name John, and as a composer of classical music has written a number of ballets, operas, concertos, and other orchestral and chamber works that have been performed internationally. He is a member of All Saints Orthodox Church in Bloomington, Indiana. His patron saint is St. Oswin of Deira.

Praise for Orthodox Saints of Wales

"Orthodox Saints of Wales is a straightforward and enjoyable gallery of the holy men and women who shaped the Faith of the Celtic world in the great Age of Saints. With a sense of devotion and a love for the ancient British saints, it is an Orthodox celebration of their spiritual labours and power, reflecting their kinship, interconnectedness, and friendships through the short biographies that open their lives and spiritual world to the Orthodox reader today, showing a Christian society united in living Faith and the struggle for holiness." -Hieromonk Mark Underwood, Parish of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, Cardiff

"Oswin Craton has done it again! Reading Orthodox Saints of Wales was like being introduced to a branch of the family that I knew existed but had never actually met. While their names seem unusual, their Christian spirit is warmly familiar. What a joy to meet our Welsh cousins in the Faith!" -V. Rev. Fr. Peter Jon Gillquist, All Saints Antiochian Orthodox Church in Bloomington, Indiana

"Oswin Craton covers in a chronological and detailed way the lives of the saints of Wales over seven centuries, with miracles and stories that are hard to believe. So many of the lives are those of young people, and today’s youth will enjoy the witness to Christ and stories of sacrifice and miracles. The challenges to these saints came from the pagan Saxons, King Henry VIII, and others who also destroyed churches and monasteries, along with their records, so that some details of Orthodox saints in these centuries were lost along with the faithful saints themselves. The book is an education in history, spirituality, and life in Wales over the centuries. For one who knew nothing about Orthodox saints from Wales, I was blessed to have read it." -Fr. Seraphim Moslener, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Antiochian Orthodox Church in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania

Author: Oswin Craton

Paperback: 128 pages

Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 inches

Publisher: Ancient Faith Publishing

Additional Formats:

eBook
$8.99 at Orthodox Christian eBooks
$9.99 at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Apple

Audiobook
Coming soon!

Related Media:

Podcast - Orthodox Engagement - Orthodoxy and Wales

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