Born at Kermartin, a manor near Tréguier in Brittany, on 17 October 1253, Ivo was the son of Helori, lord of Kermartin, and Azo du Kenquis.
In 1267 Ivo was sent to the University of Paris, where he graduated in civil law.
While other students partied, Ivo studied, prayed and visited the sick.
He also refused to eat meat or drink wine.
Among his fellow-students were the scholars Duns Scotus and Roger Bacon.
He went to Orléans in 1277 to study canon law under Peter de la Chapelle, a famous journalist who later became bishop of Toulouse and a cardinal.

On his return to Brittany, having received minor orders he was appointed an "official", the title given to an ecclesiastical judge, of the archdeanery of Rennes (1280).
He protected orphans and widows, defended the poor, and rendered fair and impartial verdicts.
It’s said that even those on the losing side respected his decisions.
Ivo also represented the helpless in other courts, paid their expenses and visited them in prison.
He earned the title “Advocate of the Poor.”
Although it was common to give judges “gifts,” Ivo refused bribes.
He often helped many disputing parties settle out of court so they could save money.

Meanwhile, he studied Scripture, and there are strong reasons for believing the tradition held among Franciscans that he joined the Third Order of St. Francis sometime later at Guingamp.
Ivo was ordained to the priesthood in 1284.
He continued to practice law and once, when a mother and son couldn’t resolve many of their differences, he offered a Mass for them.
They immediately reached a settlement.

Ivo was soon invited by the Bishop of Tréguier to become his official, and accepted the offer in 1284.
He displayed great zeal and rectitude in the discharge of his duty and did not hesitate to resist taxation by the king, which he considered an encroachment on the rights of the Church.
Due to his charity he gained the title of advocate and patron of the poor.
Having been ordained he was appointed to the parish of Tredrez in 1285 and eight years later to Louannec, where he died of natural causes after a life of hard work and repeated fasting.
Born at Kermartin, a manor near Tréguier in Brittany, on 17 October 1253, Ivo was the son of Helori, lord of Kermartin, and Azo du Kenquis. In 1267 Ivo was sent to the University of Paris, where he graduated in civil law. While other students partied, Ivo studied, prayed and visited the sick. He also refused to eat meat or drink wine. Among his fellow-students were the scholars Duns Scotus and Roger Bacon. He went to Orléans in 1277 to study canon law under Peter de la Chapelle, a famous journalist who later became bishop of Toulouse and a cardinal. 
On his return to Brittany, having received minor orders he was appointed an "official", the title given to an ecclesiastical judge, of the archdeanery of Rennes (1280). He protected orphans and widows, defended the poor, and rendered fair and impartial verdicts. It’s said that even those on the losing side respected his decisions. Ivo also represented the helpless in other courts, paid their expenses and visited them in prison. He earned the title “Advocate of the Poor.” Although it was common to give judges “gifts,” Ivo refused bribes. He often helped many disputing parties settle out of court so they could save money.
Meanwhile, he studied Scripture, and there are strong reasons for believing the tradition held among Franciscans that he joined the Third Order of St. Francis sometime later at Guingamp. Ivo was ordained to the priesthood in 1284. He continued to practice law and once, when a mother and son couldn’t resolve many of their differences, he offered a Mass for them. They immediately reached a settlement.
Ivo was soon invited by the Bishop of Tréguier to become his official, and accepted the offer in 1284. He displayed great zeal and rectitude in the discharge of his duty and did not hesitate to resist taxation by the king, which he considered an encroachment on the rights of the Church. Due to his charity he gained the title of advocate and patron of the poor. Having been ordained he was appointed to the parish of Tredrez in 1285 and eight years later to Louannec, where he died of natural causes after a life of hard work and repeated fasting.
Ivo of Kermartin