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Saints of Britain: Wilfrid of York—October 12th
Saint Wilfrid was born in Northumberland in 634 and was educated at Lindisfarne and then spent time in Lyons and Rome. He returned to England and was elected abbot of Ripon in 658 and introduced the Roman rules and practices and was the architect of the definitive victory of the Roman party at the Conference of Whitby in 664.
He was appointed Bishop of York and took possession of his See in 669. He laboured zealously and founded many monasteries, though he had to appeal to Rome in order to prevent the subdivision of his diocese by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Saint Theodore. While waiting for the outcome of the case, he was forced to go into exile. This did little to shake his zeal and he worked hard and long to evangelize the pagan south Saxons until his recall in 686. In 691 he had to retire again to the Midlands until Rome vindicated him once again. He was reconciled to his fellow bishops at the Council of Nidd in 706.
He went to his rest in 709 and is remembered for his courage and zeal.
Saint Paulinus of York—October 10
A monk in Saint Andrew’s monastery in Rome, he was sent to England in 601 by Saint Gregory the Great to assist Saint Augustine of Canterbury. He laboured in Kent until 625 when he accompanied Ethelburga to Northumbria where she married King (later saint) Edwin. Paulinus was successful in converting Edwin and large numbers of his people to the Christian faith. Edwin was defeated in 633 by pagan Mercians and Paulinus was forced to leave his See in York and return to Kent. There he took up the See of Rochester which he held until his death in 644.
Holy Fathers Spyridon and Nicodemus, Prosphora-bakers of the Caves—October 31
Saint Spyridon was a Godly man born in the early twelfth century. He was ignorant of book learning and his speech was rustic. Nevertheless, he was wise in spirit and his fear of God led him to the Monastery of the Caves where he became a monk and learned to read, committing all the Psalms to memory. He would chant the entire psalter once a day during his work.
His job became to bake the prosphora for the services, a work which Spyridon enjoyed. One day, while he was going about his work, he lit the oven to bake prosphora, and flames burst out and began to burn the roof of the building. Saint Spyridon took off his mantia and covered the mouth of the oven. Then he ran to the well, drew together the sleeves of his hair shirt, and filled it with water. He quickly returned to the fire calling for the brothers to come and help him put out the fire. When they arrived they were amazed that Spyridon’s shirt had held all the water for extinguishing the flames, and his mantia had not caught fire.
Saint Spyridon’s helper was St Nicodemus. They were very close friends and prayed and laboured together. They baked prosphora for thirty years before reposing peacefully .
of Canterbury. He laboured in Kent until 625 when he accompanied Ethelburga to Northumbria where she married King (later saint) Edwin. Paulinus was successful in converting Edwin and large numbers of his people to the Christian faith. Edwin was defeated in 633 by pagan Mercians and Paulinus was forced to leave his See in York and return to Kent. There he took up the See of Rochester which he held until his death in 644.
Saint Wilfrid was born in Northumberland in 634 and was educated at Lindisfarne and then spent time in Lyons and Rome. He returned to England and was elected abbot of Ripon in 658 and introduced the Roman rules and practices and was the architect of the definitive victory of the Roman party at the Conference of Whitby in 664.
He was appointed Bishop of York and took possession of his See in 669. He laboured zealously and founded many monasteries, though he had to appeal to Rome in order to prevent the subdivision of his diocese by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Saint Theodore. While waiting for the outcome of the case, he was forced to go into exile. This did little to shake his zeal and he worked hard and long to evangelize the pagan south Saxons until his recall in 686. In 691 he had to retire again to the Midlands until Rome vindicated him once again. He was reconciled to his fellow bishops at the Council of Nidd in 706.
He went to his rest in 709 and is remembered for his courage and zeal.
Saint Paulinus of York—October 10
A monk in Saint Andrew’s monastery in Rome, he was sent to England in 601 by Saint Gregory the Great to assist Saint Augustine of Canterbury. He laboured in Kent until 625 when he accompanied Ethelburga to Northumbria where she married King (later saint) Edwin. Paulinus was successful in converting Edwin and large numbers of his people to the Christian faith. Edwin was defeated in 633 by pagan Mercians and Paulinus was forced to leave his See in York and return to Kent. There he took up the See of Rochester which he held until his death in 644.
Holy Fathers Spyridon and Nicodemus, Prosphora-bakers of the Caves—October 31
Saint Spyridon was a Godly man born in the early twelfth century. He was ignorant of book learning and his speech was rustic. Nevertheless, he was wise in spirit and his fear of God led him to the Monastery of the Caves where he became a monk and learned to read, committing all the Psalms to memory. He would chant the entire psalter once a day during his work.
His job became to bake the prosphora for the services, a work which Spyridon enjoyed. One day, while he was going about his work, he lit the oven to bake prosphora, and flames burst out and began to burn the roof of the building. Saint Spyridon took off his mantia and covered the mouth of the oven. Then he ran to the well, drew together the sleeves of his hair shirt, and filled it with water. He quickly returned to the fire calling for the brothers to come and help him put out the fire. When they arrived they were amazed that Spyridon’s shirt had held all the water for extinguishing the flames, and his mantia had not caught fire.
Saint Spyridon’s helper was St Nicodemus. They were very close friends and prayed and laboured together. They baked prosphora for thirty years before reposing peacefully .
of Canterbury. He laboured in Kent until 625 when he accompanied Ethelburga to Northumbria where she married King (later saint) Edwin. Paulinus was successful in converting Edwin and large numbers of his people to the Christian faith. Edwin was defeated in 633 by pagan Mercians and Paulinus was forced to leave his See in York and return to Kent. There he took up the See of Rochester which he held until his death in 644.
