Pol Aurelian

Pol Aurelian (also Pol de Léon, Paulinus Aurelianus, or Paol) is a Celtic saint. He is one of the seven founder saints of Brittany. His feast day is 12 March.

His hagiography was completed in 884 by a Breton monk named Wrmonoc.

The son of a British chieftain, Pol became a pupil of Illtud like Saints Samson of Dol, Gildas and David. Pol was educated at Llan Illtyd Vawr and at Ynys Pyr. He founded churches near Llandovery in the Dyfed county of Carmarthenshire, and before 518 had founded an abbey at Yr Henllwyn ("Old Bush") called Ty Gwyn ("White Church"). He probably attended the Synod of Llanddewi Brefi in 545. A stone near Pumpsaint (10 kilometers southeast of Lampeter) in the Dyfed county of Cardiganshire, dated to c.550 honours him as "preserver of the faith, constant lover of his country, champion of righteousness".

He later founded monasteries in Brittany at Lampol on the island of Ouessant; on the island of Batz (where he later died); and at Ocsimor, now the city of Saint-Pol-de-Léon in Finistère. He was consecrated bishop by Childebert, King of the Franks.

His sister was St. Sidwell of Exeter.