Ivo, St.
IVO, ST.
Legendary bishop and missionary to Britain in the sixth or seventh century. Goscelin (11th century) wrote his life, based on an account by Andrew Withman, abbot of ramsey, who collected his information on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. According to Goscelin, Ivo left his native Persia; visited Rome and Gaul; and proceeded to Britain, where with three companions he successfully preached the Christian faith and settled finally at Slepe, Huntingdonshire. Lack of documentation has caused some authorities to conclude that the story is a fabrication by Ramsey monks. Ivo's supposed relics were discovered (1001) at the present location of St. Ives, Huntingdonshire, where a priory dependent on Ramsey was established, the relics being translated to Ramsey itself. Ivo is unconnected with St. Ives, Cornwall.
Feast: April 24.
Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum June 2:284–289. t. d. hardy, Descriptive Catalogue of Materials Relating to the History of Great Britain and Ireland, 3 v. in 4 (Rerum Brittanicarum medii aevi scriptores 26; 1862–71) 1.1:184–186. c. hole, A Dictionary of Christian Biography, ed. w. smith and h. wace, 4 v. (London 1877–87) 3:324–325. g. h. doble, "St. Ivo, Bishop and Confessor, Patron of the Town of St. Ives," Laudate 12 (1934) 149–156.
[r. w. hays]