Saint Melangell Medal Necklace - Patron Saint of Rabbits and Small Animals

Saint Melangell, Patron Saint of Rabbits and Small Animals

In the 6th century, a prince named Brochwel Ysgithrog was hunting hares in the Tanat Valley in Wales when one ran to a young woman sitting alone in the forest and hid under her cloak. His hunting dogs stopped at her feet and would not move. He dismounted. The woman was Melangell, an Irish princess who had fled an arranged marriage to live as a hermit in that valley, alone for fifteen years before anyone knew she existed. Brochwel gave her the valley, and she lived there another 37 years, creating what's recognized as the first animal sanctuary in British history. The hares lived freely around her and were called "Melangell's lambs" for centuries after her death.

A Gift For...

• A rabbit owner, or anyone whose small animal is family
• Someone who has lost a rabbit, and wants its name kept somewhere permanent
• Animal rescue and wildlife rehabilitation workers
• Anyone facing a moment when they need refuge, the way the hare once did
• A confirmation or baptism gift for someone who loves animals fiercely
• A Saint Melangell's Day gift on May 27, for the animal lover in your life

A Confirmation Gift

For a girl who loves animals as much as she loves her faith, Melangell is rarely a second choice. Most people engrave her name and confirmation date underneath..

The Saint Melangell Medal

This medal depicts her in profile, holding a rabbit against her chest, looking down at it with quiet attention. The rabbit is held the way she held the hare in the valley, not as a symbol, but as something alive that came to her and stayed. The natural gold or silver of the metal forms the illustration itself. Black ink is applied to the pendant surface and the metal shows through as the image. A shatterproof liquid glass coating seals the surface.

Personalization and Engraving

The optional engraving on the reverse is rendered in Tangerine cursive. Two lines, up to 20 characters each. Most people engrave a rabbit's name, a date, or their own name. People who have lost a rabbit engrave its name the same way Gertrude buyers engrave the names of cats they've lost.

Saint Melangell's feast day is May 27. She served as abbess of her sanctuary until her death, and her shrine at Pennant Melangell has been a place of pilgrimage for 1,400 years. The hares still live in that valley.