Sanctain or Sanctan was a 6th-century bishop from Northern Britain, venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and the Church of England.
Sanctan was the son of Samuel Cennísel, a king in Northern Britain. His mother was Deichter, daughter of Muiredach Muinderg, an early Dál Fiatach overking of Ulaid. He had a brother, Matócc, and was half-brother to Cybi of Holyhead.The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, Vol. 4, 1879, p. 92
Sanctan was an active missionary in Cumbria. The Liber Hymnorum confirms that both Sanctan and Matóc came to Ireland from Britain.Bartrum, Peter C., (1993), A Welsh Classical Dictionary, National Library of Wales, pp. 580-581. Sanctán spent most of his days on the island, and is included in the list of bishops in the Book of Leinster. He was bishop of the unidentified Cell da les ("church of the two enclosures"), which could be Kilnasantan in Glenasmole in the Dublin Mountains.Mac Shamhráin, Ailbhe. "Sanctán", Dictionary of Irish Biography, 2009O'Hanlon, John. Lives of the Irish saints, Vol. 6, 1873, p. 614
He is commemorated in the Felire of Oengus.Baring-Gould, Sabine. The Lives of the British Saints, vol. 4, C. J. Clark, 1913, p. 171 On the Isle of Man, the civil parish of Santon is named after him.Moore, Arthur W., The Surnames & Place-names of the Isle of Man, Stock, 1890, p. 209 His feast day is on 20 May.
References
A Manx Notebook: Parish of Kirk Santan A Manx Notebook: Stained glass window from St John's church Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae 2012-2015