lives of the british saints

387 Pages·2012·1.75 MB·English

122 LIVES OF THE BRITISH SAINTS
Vladimir Moss
Copyright: Vladimir Moss, 2012. All Rights Reserved.
CONTENTS
1. SAINTS ACCA AND ALCMUND, BISHOPS OF HEXHAM..................................5
2. SAINT ADRIAN, ABBOT OF CANTERBURY...........................................................8
3. SAINT ADRIAN, HIEROMARTYR BISHOP OF MAY ............................................9
4. SAINT AIDAN, BISHOP OF LINDISFARNE...........................................................11
5. SAINT ALBAN, PROTOMARTYR OF BRITAIN.....................................................15
6. SAINT ALCMUND, MARTYR-KING OF NORTHUMBRIA ................................18
7. SAINT ALDHELM, BISHOP OF SHERBORNE.......................................................19
8. SAINT ALFRED, MARTYR-PRINCE OF ENGLAND ............................................25
9. SAINT ALPHEGE, HIEROMARTYR ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY..........28
10. SAINT ALPHEGE “THE BALD”, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER...........................39
11. SAINT ASAPH, BISHOP OF ST. ASAPH’S ............................................................40
12. SAINTS AUGUSTINE, LAURENCE, MELLITUS, JUSTUS, HONORIUS AND
DEUSDEDIT, ARCHBISHOPS OF CANTERBURY ....................................................41
13. SAINTS BALDRED AND BALDRED, MONKS OF BASS ROCK.......................52
14. SAINT BATHILD, QUEEN OF FRANCE................................................................53
15. SAINT BEDE “THE VENERABLE” OF JARROW.................................................55
16. SAINT BENIGNUS (BEONNA) OF GLASTONBURY..........................................58
17. SAINT BERTRAM (BERTELIN, BETTELIN) OF ILAM AND STAFFORD .......60
18. SAINT BEUNO, ABBOT OF CLYNNOG................................................................61
19. SAINT BIRINUS, BISHOP OF DORCHESTER-ON-THAMES ............................64
20. SAINT BIRNSTAN (BIRSTAN, BEORNSTAN), BISHOP OF WINCHESTER ..66
21. SAINT BOISIL, ABBOT OF MELROSE ...................................................................67
22. SAINTS BOTOLPH, ABBOT, AND ADOLPH, BISHOP, OF IKANHOE ..........69
23. SAINT CEDD, BISHOP OF ESSEX...........................................................................71
24. SAINT CEOLWULF, MONK OF LINDISFARNE..................................................73
25. SAINT CHAD (CEODDE), BISHOP OF LICHFIELD AND MARYTR-PRINCES
WULFAD AND RUFINUS OF MERCIA.......................................................................74
26. SAINT CLYDOG, MARTYR-PRINCE OF EWYAS................................................87
27. SAINT CONGAR, BISHOP OF CONGRESBURY .................................................88
28. SAINT CONSTANTINE, MONK-MARTYR OF CORNWALL ...........................90
29. SAINT CREDAN, ABBOT OF EVESHAM..............................................................91
30. SAINT CUTHBURGA, ABBESS OF WIMBORNE.................................................92
31. SAINT CUTHMANN, HERMIT OF STEYNING...................................................93
32. SAINTS CYNEBURGA, CYNESWITHA AND TIBBA, NUNS OF MERCIA ....95
33. SAINT DECUMAN, MONK-MARTYR OF WATCHET.......................................96
34. SAINT DIUMA, BISHOP OF MERCIA ...................................................................97
35. SAINT DONNAN (DONAN), HIEROMARTYR OF THE ISLE OF EIGG.........98
36. SAINT DROSTAN, ABBOT OF DEER.....................................................................99
37. SAINT DUNSTAN, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY....................................100
38. SAINT EANSWYTHE, ABBESS OF FOLKESTONE............................................114
39. SAINT EATA, BISHOP OF HEXHAM ..................................................................116
40. SAINT EBBA, ABBESS OF COLDINGHAM ........................................................117
41. SAINT EDBURGA, NUN OF WINCHESTER ......................................................119
42. SAINT EDGAR “THE PEACEABLE”, KING OF ENGLAND ...........................121
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43. SAINT EDITH OF TAMWORTH ...........................................................................122
44. SAINT EDITH OF POLEWORTH ..........................................................................123
45. SAINT EDITH, NUN OF WILTON........................................................................124
46. SAINT EDMUND, MARTYR-KING OF EAST ANGLIA ...................................129
47. SAINT EDWARD THE CONFESSOR, KING OF ENGLAND...........................141
48. SAINT EDWARD THE MARTYR, KING OF ENGLAND .................................163
49. SAINT EDWIN, MARTYR-KING OF NORTHUMBRIA....................................173
50. SAINT EDWOLD, HERMIT OF CERNE...............................................................175
51. SAINT EGBERT, BISHOP, OF IONA.....................................................................177
52. SAINT EGWIN, BISHOP OF WORCESTER .........................................................179
53. SAINT ELGIVA, QUEEN OF ENGLAND ............................................................184
54. SAINTS ERKENWALD, BISHOP OF LONDON, AND ETHELBURGA,
ABBESS OF BARKING...................................................................................................185
55. SAINT ETHELBERT, MARTYR-KING OF EAST ANGLIA...............................191
56. SAINTS ETHELDREDA, SEXBURGA AND ERMENHILDA, QUEENS AND
ABBESSES OF ELY, AND HUNA, PRIEST-HERMIT OF HONEY HILL .............196
57. SAINTS ETHELFLEDA AND MORWENNA, ABBESSES OF ROMSEY.........200
58. SAINTS ETHELRED AND ETHELBRICHT, MARTYR-PRINCES OF KENT.202
59. SAINT ETHELRED, MARTYR-KING OF WESSEX ............................................204
60. SAINT ETHELWIN, HERMIT OF ATHELNEY...................................................205
61. SAINT ETHELWOLD, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER ...........................................206
63. SAINT ETHILWALD, HERMIT OF FARNE ........................................................217
64. SAINT FELIX, BISHOP OF DUNWICH................................................................218
65. SAINT FERGUS, BISHOP OF GLAMIS.................................................................219
66. SAINTS FINAN, EDBERT, EDFRITH AND ETHILWALD, BISHOPS OF
LINDISFARNE ................................................................................................................221
67. SAINT FRIDESWIDE, ABBESS OF OXFORD ......................................................223
68. SAINT FRITHESTAN, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER............................................225
69. SAINT FURSEY, ABBOT OF BURGH CASTLE ...................................................226
70. SAINT GOVAN, ABBOT OF PEMBROKESHIRE................................................228
71. SAINT GRIMBALD, ABBOT OF WINCHESTER ................................................230
72. SAINT HAROLD, MARTYR-KING OF ENGLAND...........................................232
73. SAINT HEDDA, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER......................................................242
74. SAINT HELIER, MONK-MARTYR OF JERSEY...................................................243
75. SAINTS HEWALD THE WHITE AND HEWALD THE BLACK......................246
76. HOLY HIEROMARTYRS AND MONK-MARTYRS OF IONA.........................248
77. SAINT HILDA, ABBESS OF WHITBY...................................................................251
78. SAINT HYBALD, ABBOT OF HYBALDSTOW ...................................................253
79. SAINT ISMAEL, BISHOP OF MENEVIA .............................................................254
80. SAINT ISSUI, MONK-MARTYR OF PATRICIO..................................................255
81. SAINT IWI, HIERODEACON OF LINDISFARNE..............................................256
82. SAINT JOHN OF BEVERLEY, BISHOP OF YORK..............................................257
83. SAINT JUSTINIAN, HIEROMARTYR OF RAMSEY ISLAND..........................262
84. SAINT KENELM, MARTYR-KING OF MERCIA................................................265
85. SAINT LIDE, BISHOP OF THE SCILLY ISLES ....................................................267
86. SAINT LUCIUS, KING IN BRITAIN .....................................................................269
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87. SAINT MAGLORIUS (MAGLOIRE), BISHOP OF SARK...................................271
88. SAINT MAUGHOLD (MACCALD), BISHOP OF THE ISLE OF MAN...........273
89. SAINT MELOR (MYLOR), MARTYR-PRINCE OF BRITTANY........................275
90. SAINT MILDBURGA, ABBESS OF MUCH WENLOCK....................................278
91. SAINT MILDGYTHA, NUN OF NORTHUMBRIA ............................................283
92. SAINT MILDRED, ABBESS OF THANET IN KENT ..........................................284
93. SAINTS MODWENNA AND HARDULF OF BURTON-ON-TRENT .............288
94. SAINT NATHALAN, BISHOP, OF ABERDEEN.................................................289
95. SAINT NECTAN, MONK-MARTYR OF HARTLAND......................................290
96. SAINT NEOT, ABBOT OF CORNWALL..............................................................296
97. SAINT NON (NONNA), NUN OF CORNWALL ...............................................299
98. SAINT ODA “THE GOOD”, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY ....................301
99. SAINT OLAF, MARTYR-KING OF NORWAY....................................................303
100. SAINT OSWALD, MARTYR-KING OF NORTHUMBRIA ..............................309
101. SAINT OSWALD, ARCHBISHOP OF YORK.....................................................315
102. SAINT OSYTH, MARTYR-ABBESS OF CHICH ................................................321
103. SAINTS PAULINUS AND ITHAMAR, BISHOPS OF ROCHESTER .............323
104. SAINT PEGA, HERMITESS OF PEAKIRK .........................................................325
105. SAINT RUMWOLD, INFANT OF BUCKINGHAM..........................................328
106. SAINTS SIDWELL AND JUTHWARA, VIRGIN-MARTYRS OF EXETER....330
107. SAINTS SIGBERT AND SEBBI, MONKS OF EAST ANGLIA .........................332
108. SAINT SIGFRID, BISHOP OF VAXJO AND ENLIGHTENER OF SWEDEN334
109. SAINT SWITHUN, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER ...............................................337
110. SAINT TEWDRIG, MARTYR-KING OF GWENT .............................................344
111. SAINT THEODORE, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY................................346
112. SAINT WALBURGA, ABBESS OF HEIDENHEIM ...........................................349
113. SAINT WALSTAN, LAYMAN OF TAVERHAM..............................................351
114. SAINT WENDREDA, HERMITESS OF MARCH ..............................................353
115. SAINT WERBURGA, ABBESS OF CHESTER ....................................................354
116. SAINT WILLIAM, BISHOP OF ROSKILDE .......................................................356
117. SAINT WINIFRED, VIRGIN-MARTYR OF HOLYWELL ................................358
118. SAINT WISTAN, MARTYR-KING OF MERCIA...............................................360
119. SAINT WITHBURGA, HERMITESS OF EAST DEREHAM.............................361
120. SAINT WULFHILDA, ABBESS OF BARKING ..................................................362
121. SAINT WULSIN, BISHOP OF SHERBORNE .....................................................367
122. SAINT IVO, BISHOP OF ST. IVE’S ......................................................................373
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1. SAINTS ACCA AND ALCMUND, BISHOPS OF HEXHAM
Our holy Father Acca as a young man joined the household of Bosa, bishop of
York, and later became a disciple of the great St. Wilfrid, bishop of York and later of
Hexham. For thirteen years he accompanied his teacher on his journeys through
England and on the continent, and was a witness at his holy repose. And when
Wilfrid died, in 709, he became his successor as abbot and bishop of Hexham in
Northumbria.
The Venerable Bede called Acca "the dearest and best loved of all bishops on this
earth." Bede also praised his theological library and dedicated several of his works to
him. On becoming bishop of Hexham Acca completed three of Wilfrid's smaller
churches and splendidly adorned his cathedral at Hexham, providing it with
ornaments of gold, silver and precious stones, and decorating the altars with purple
and silk. Moreover, he invited an excellent singer called Maban who had been taught
church harmony at Canterbury to teach himself and the people. He himself was a
chanter of great skill.
In 732 Acca either retired or was expelled from his see, and later became bishop of
Whithorn in Southern Scotland. He died on October 20, 740, and was buried near the
east wall of his cathedral in Hexham. Parts of two stone crosses which were placed
at his tomb still survive.
In about 1030, Alfred Westow, a Hexham priest and a sacrist at Durham,
translated the relics of St. Acca, following a Divine revelation, to a place of more
fitting honour in the church. At that time the saint's vestments were found in all their
pristine freshness and strength, and were displayed by the brethren of the church for
the veneration of the faithful. Above his chest was found a portable altar with the
inscription Almae Trinitati, agiae Sophiae, sanctae Mariae. This also was the object of
great veneration. Many miracles were wrought through this saint. Those attempting
to infringe the sanctuary of his church were driven off in a wondrous and terrible
manner, and those who tried to steal relics were prevented from doing so.
A brother of the church by the name of Aldred related the following story. When
he was an adolescent and was living in the house of his brother, a priest, he was once
asked by his brother to keep an eye on some relics of St. Acca which he had wrapped
in a cloth and laid on the altar of St. Michael in the southern porch of the church.
Then it came into the mind of Aldred that a certain church (we may guess that it was
Durham) would be greatly enriched by the bones of St. Acca. So, after prostrating
himself on the ground and praying the seven penitential psalms, he entered the
porch with the intention of taking them away. Suddenly he felt heat as of fire which
thrust him back in great trepidation. Thinking that he had approached with
insufficient reverence and preparation, he again prostrated himself and poured forth
still more ardent prayers to the Lord. But on approaching a second time he felt a still
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fiercer heat opposing him. Realizing that his intention was not in accordance with
the will of God, he withdrew.
Our holy Father Alcmund was bishop of Hexham from 767 to 781, reposed on
September 7, 781, and was buried next to St. Acca. In 1032, he appeared by night to a
certain very pious man by the name of Dregmo who lived near the church at
Hexham. Wearing pontifical vestments and holding a pastoral staff in his hand, he
nudged Dregmo with it and said:
"Rise, go to Alfred, son of Westow, a priest of the Church of Durham, and tell him
to transfer my body from this place to a more honourable one within the church. For
it is fitting that those whom the King of kings has vested with a stole of glory and
immortality in the heavens should be venerated by those on earth."
Dregmo asked: "Lord, who are you?"
He replied: "I am Alcmund, bishop of the Church of Hexham, who was, by the
grace of God, the fourth after blessed Wilfrid to be in charge of this place. My body
is next to that of my predecessor, the holy bishop Acca of venerable memory. You
also be present at its translation with the priest."
After saying this, he disappeared. The next morning, Dregmo went to the priest
Alfred and related everything in order. He joyfully assembled the people, told them
what had happened, and fixed a day for the translation. On the appointed day they
lifted the bones from the tomb, wrapped them in linen and placed them on a bier;
but since the hour for celebrating the Divine Liturgy had passed, they placed the
holy relics in the porch of St. Peter at the western end of the church, intending to
transfer them the following day with psalms and hymns and the celebration of the
Divine Liturgy.
But that night, the priest Alfred, who was keeping vigil with his clerics around
the holy body, rose when the others were sleeping and took a part of the finger of
the saint, intending to give it to the Church of Durham. The next morning a great
multitude came to the translation. But when the priest and those with him came to
lift the body, it was immovable. Thinking themselves unworthy, they retired, and
others came up. But they, too, were unable to lift it. When noone was found who
could lift it, the people looked at each other in consternation, while the priest, still
ignorant that he was the cause, exhorted them to pray to God to reveal who was to
blame for this. That night, St. Alcmund appeared a second time to Dregmo, who had
suddenly been overwhelmed with sleep, and with a stern face said to him:
"What is this that you have wanted to do? Did you think to bring me back into the
church mutilated, when I served God and St. Andrew here in wholeness of body and
spirit? Go, therefore, and witness in the presence of all the people that what has
unwisely been taken away from my body should be restored, or else you will never
be able to remove me from this place in which I now am."
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And when he had said this, he showed him his hand with part of the finger
missing. The next day, Dregmo stood in the middle of the people and told them all
that had been revealed to him in the night, vehemently urging that the person who
had presumed to do this should be punished. Then the priest, perceiving that he was
at fault, prostrated himself in the midst of the people and revealed to them the
motives for which he had committed the crime. Begging for forgiveness, he restored
that which he had taken away. Then the clerics who were present came up and
without any effort lifted the holy body and transferred it into the church on August
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Later, Alfred translated a portion of the relics of Saints Acca and Alcmund,
together with portions of the relics of the other Northumbrian saints: the hermits
Baldred and Bilfrid, the Martyr-King Oswin, St. Boisil of Melrose, St. Ebba of
Coldingham and the Venerable Bede, to his church of Durham.
St. Acca is commemorated on October 20.
Holy Fathers Acca and Alcmund, pray to God for us!
(Sources: The Venerable Bede, Ecclesiastical History; Eddius Stephanus, Life of St.
Wilfrid; Simeon of Durham Opera Omnia, ed. T. Arnold, Rolls Series, 1882-85, vol. II,
pp. 36-37, 51-52; History of the Church of Durham, ch. 42; David Farmer, The Oxford
Dictionary of Saints, Oxford: Clarendon, 1978, pp. 1-2, 10)
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2. SAINT ADRIAN, ABBOT OF CANTERBURY
Our holy Father Adrian was a native of North Africa "well versed," as the
Venerable Bede says, "in the Holy Scriptures, trained both in monastic and
ecclesiastical ways and equally skilled in the Greek and Latin tongues". He was
living in the monastery of Nerida, near Naples in Italy, when Pope Vitalian called on
him to accept the see of Canterbury. However, St. Adrian declined, saying he was
unworthy of so exalted a rank, and suggested instead the elderly monk Theodore, a
native of Tarsus in Cilicia. The pope accepted his suggestion, but only on condition
that he accompanied St. Theodore to England. For, as Bede says, "he had already
travelled twice through Gaul on various missions and was therefore better
acquainted with the road and had an adequate number of followers; also, being a
fellow labourer in his teaching work, he would take great care to prevent Theodore
from introducing into the church over which he presided any Greek customs which
might be contrary to the true faith [Bede probably means the Monothelite heresy
then raging in the East]. So on May 27, 668 Saints Theodore and Adrian set off
together for England. They went by sea to Marseilles and then by land to Arles. They
were detained for some time in France by Ebroin, Mayor of the palace of Neustria,
who suspected them of being agents of the Byzantine emperor. However, on May 27,
669 the two saints arrived in Canterbury.
St. Theodore immediately placed St. Adrian in charge of the monastery of St.
Peter in Canterbury, where he taught Greek and Latin and all the ecclesiastical
sciences, educating a whole generation of English churchmen. He reposed on
January 9, 710, and his tomb was glorified by miracles. In 1091, when repairs were
being carried out to the church buildings in Canterbury, his tomb was opened and
his body was found to be incorrupt.
St. Adrian is commemorated on January 9.
Holy Father Adrian, pray to God for us!
(Sources: The Venerable Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, IV, 1,2; David
Farmer, The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1978, p. 3)
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3. SAINT ADRIAN, HIEROMARTYR BISHOP OF MAY
and those with him
The Breviary of Aberdeen has the following information about St. Adrian:- “St.
Adrian was born in the parts of Hungary and province of Pannonia; he was of royal
descent, and of episcopal rank; his diligence in the sacred order being attested by the
many clerics and seculars who were his companions. Desiring to benefit other
nations, and inflamed with zeal for the Christian religion, he betook himself to the
eastern parts of Scotia, then occupied by the Picts, having along with him 6606
companions, among whom the most notable were Glodianus, who was crowned
with martyrdom, Gayus, and Monanus, white-robed confessors, Stolbrandus and
other bishops, adorned with the mitre. The names of the rest are written in purple
blood in the book of life. These did many signs and wonders in the midst of the
Picts, but at length desiring a habitation of their own, they expelled the demons and
wild beasts from the Island of Maya [May, in the Firth of Forth, off the east coast of
Scotland], and there made a place of prayer. They occupied themselves in devotion
until the Danes, who had devastated all Britannia, which is now called Anglia,
landed on the island, when the holy confessors of God opposed them with the
spiritual weapons of the heavenly warfare. The enemy not brooking this, fell
violently on the blessed Adrian, the victim of the Lord, with swords, and crowned
him with a glorious martyrdom; and in order that concerning them the words of the
prophet should be verified anew, where the disconsolate Rachel is said to have
bewailed her children, these most cruel executioners made an attack upon that holy
and heavenly multitude who persevered in the confession of Christ, and who, like
sheep, fell before their swords in the Isle of May, where the martyrs of God, who in
this life loved to serve Him together, in death were not separated. There was one
spirit in them and one faith. In that Isle of May there was anciently erected [by King
David I of Scotland] a monastery of fair course masonry, which was destroyed by
the Angles, but the church remains to this day much visited for its miracles by the
people, and thither women come in hopes of offspring. There is also a celebrated
cemetery, where the bodies of the martyrs repose.”
In spite of the Breviary’s declaration that St. Adrian came from Hungary, other
sources claim that he was an Irish bishop without a see, and that he had, not 6606,
but 100 companions (Fordun). According to Boece, these companions included both
Scots and Englishmen, which leads some to surmise that the Englishmen may have
come from the church of St. Acca, Bishop of Hexham, who, on being driven from his
see, founded a bishopric among the Picts in 732. The date of the martyrdom is given
as March 4, 875, which accords with information from other sources that a battle
between the Scots and the pagan Danes under Halfdun took place in that year, many
Scots being killed. In some lists, St. Adrian is given as the first bishop of St.
Andrews.
St. Adrian is commemorated on March 4.
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Holy Hieromartyr Adrian and those with you, pray to God for us!
(Sources: David Farmer, The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, Oxford: The Clarendon
Press, 1978, p. 4; John Marsden, The Fury of the Northmen, London: Kyle Cathie, 1996,
p. 153; Alexander Forbes, Calendars of Scottish Saints, Edinburgh: Edmonston &
Douglas, 1872, pp. 266-268)
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