St Guthlac was a married son of a Mercian nobleman and fought in the Mercian army. He became a monk at Repton in Derbyshire but after 2 years became a hermit on the island of Croyland in the Cambridgeshire fens. A Life describes the demons who tormented him and says they spoke in British! When his sister had the body exhumed it is found to be incorrupt.
Troparion
“Dwelling from thy youth amid trackless and watery wastes,
O divinely wise father, with holy zeal thou didst strive to follow the commandments of Christ.
Wherefore, the ranks of angels were amazed, beholding thee, a man of flesh and blood,
contending valiantly against the passions, O all-wise one, and prevailing over all the hordes of the demons.
On earth thou wast a peer of the angels, and in heaven thou art ever an intercessor for mankind.
O venerable Guthlac, entreat Christ God, that He save our souls.”
