Storyteller's World

Ah, I thought you'd never ask. According to the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, he is one of the 14 Auxiliary Saints, also known as the Fourteen Holy Helpers, who were especially venerated in earlier times because their prayers were supposedly most effective on behalf of human needs. Many of their feast days have now been suppressed in the West (ain't that just typical?) so it's a wonder St Giles survived from the BCP Calendar into Common Worship, even as the minorest of minor observances. Perhaps because, being as popular as he was, he had 160 churches dedicated to him in England alone.

Not much is known about him, and there's some doubt as to historicity (does that matter, as long as his prayers work?) Possibly 8th century, possibly from Athens originally, he is thought to have fled to France to escape his countrymen's admiration of his holiness, in order to live as a holy hermit. King Flavius Wamba of the Visigoths was so impressed by him, that he built him a monastery. What a lot of questions this raises! If you want to be a holy hermit, don't go anywhere near kings - better to stay and risk your neighbours' admiration - and resist the temptation it will expose you to.

He was specially favoured as their patron by cripples, beggars and blacksmiths.