Oudoceus

Life Information regarding Oudeceus is largely derived from the 12th century Book of Llandaff, composed to enhance the prestige of the see of Llandaff as reorganised by the Normans. His supposed consecration by the Archbishop of Canterbury is the first mention in a written source of the diocese being subservient to Canterbury.

Land grants in the Book of Llandaff show Oudoceus as a contemporary of late 7th-century kings of South Wales.

His associations with Llandaff are very strong and it seems he was an early patron of the church there, where he is said to have placed relics of Saint Teilo, one of his predecessors as bishop. In the Life of St. Oudoceus, Einion, King of Glywysing, is said to have been hunting a stag amongst the rocks and woods of the river Wye; when the stag reaching the cloak of Oudoceus lay down on it, the hounds were unable to touch it. Einion then made a gift of land to the saint.

The original church at Llandaff (perhaps a monastery) may well have been an early foundation. However, it is likely to have been founded by Saint Oudoceus rather than Saint Teilo. He eventually retired to Llandogo, near Tintern, and died there on 2 July, which is his feast day. born in that country shortly after his father's return there from exile in Dyfed. His mother, Anawed, was said to be the sister of Saint Teilo and Budic promised that Oudoceus could train for a life in the Church under him. So Oudoceus came to Wales and eventually succeeded Teilo as Bishop of Llandaff.

There is no evidence that Llandaff was the centre of a bishopric until at least the early 11th century, and it is now thought that Oudoceus could have been based at Llandeilo Fawr or at Llandogo, where he is said to have been a bishop in c.580.