Here is a blog post I wrote about three years ago but I think it may be worth repeating as it wasn't on this blog
St Piran 5th March
St Piran is the patron saint of Tinners and Cornwall
St Piran or Perran as he is traditionally know in Cornwall was a 6th Century Abbot. Who although born in Ireland spent most of his youth in South Wales where he founded a Church in Cardiff and religious schooling at the monastery of Saint Cadog at Llancarfon, here he met Saint Finnian. The two returned to Ireland where they set up 6 monasteries together.
Cornish Legend says that Piran was captured by pagan Irish who jealous of his ability to heal. Tied a millstone around his neck and threw him into the sea during a storm. As Piran hit the water the storm stopped and the millstone came to the surface of the water. Piran then used this millstone as a raft. Piran Sailed for Cornwall, landed at Perranporth beach (as it is now), and built a small chapel on Penhale sands. Here he made friends with a badger, a fox and a bear. He lived and worked at this small chapel for years as a hermit performing miracles for the local people
They are various legends associated with St Piran including that of the re-discovering the process of smelting (the Romans had smelted here but the process had been lost) Piran was a great collector of rocks and stones which contained mainly minerals. One of these Stones he used for the hearth of his fire. The stone must have got incredible hot because a flow of metal came forth from it, white in colour and in the shape of the cross.
Not only did this make him the Patron of Tinners but also it is suggested that this is where his flag, a Sliver cross on a black background originated from. The flag is often used as the standard of Cornwall and symbolizes the Christian gospel. light out of darkness, good from evil
