Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saint Wulfstan | |
|---|---|
| Bishop | |
| Born | 1008, Long Itchington, Warwickshire |
| Died | 1095, Worcester, Worcestershire |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church; Anglican Communion |
| Major shrine | Worcester Cathedral (destroyed) |
| Feast | 19 January |
| Attributes | Bishop |
| Patronage | vegetarians and dieters |
 Saints Portal |
|
Saint Wulfstan (sometimes Wulfstan II, also known as Wolstan, Wulstan and Ulfstan), Bishop of Worcester, was the lone bishop to be kept in his post by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest. Wulfstan is a Christian saint.
Contents |
[edit] Denomination
His denomination as Wulfstan II is to indicate that he is the second Bishop Wulfstan of Worcester. This, however, does not prevent confusion, since the first Bishop Wulfstan is also called Wulfstan II to denote that he was the second Archbishop of York called Wulfstan. To make matters worse, Wulfstan II, Archbishop of York, was the maternal uncle of Wulfstan II, Bishop of Worcester.
[edit] Life
Wulfstan was born in 1008 at Long Itchington in the English county of Warwickshire. He was probably named after his uncle, Wulfstan II, Archbishop of York. Through his uncle's influence, he studied at monasteries in Evesham and Peterborough, before becoming a clerk at Worcester. During this time, his superiors, noting his reputation for dedication and chastity, urged him to join the priesthood. Wulfstan was ordained shortly thereafter, in 1038, and soon joined a monastery of Benedictines at Worcester.
After serving as treasurer and then prior of his monastery, Wulfstan was named Bishop of Worcester on September 8, 1062. Something of a social reformer, Wulfstan struggled to bridge the gap between the old and new regimes, and to alleviate the suffering of the poor.
In 1072 he signed the Accord of Winchester. In 1075, Wulfstan and the Worcestershire levy put down the rebellion of Ralph de Gauder, Earl of Norfolk, Roger Fitzosbern, Earl of Hereford and the Saxon Waltheof known as 'The Bridal of Norwich' against William the Conqueror.
He is responsible for the founding of Great Malvern Priory, and undertook much large scale rebuilding work including Worcester Cathedral, Hereford Cathedral, Tewkesbury Abbey, and many other churches in the Worcester, Hereford and Gloucester areas.
Wulfstan died in 1095, allegedly while engaged in his daily ritual of washing the feet of a dozen poor men. After his death, he had an altar dedicated to him in Great Malvern Priory alongside Cantilupe of Hereford and King Edward the Confessor.
In Easter of 1158, Henry II and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine visited Worcester Cathedral and placed their crowns on the shrine of Wulfstan, vowing not to wear them again.
Wulfstan was canonized in 1203 by Pope Innocent III. One of the miracles attributed to Wulfstan was the curing of King Harold's daughter.
[edit] Notable dedications
St Wul(f)stan's is the name of several notable churches:
- St Wulstan's, Malvern Wells, Worcestershire is where Edward Elgar is buried.
- St Wulstan's, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
- St Wulstan's, Selly Oak, Birmingham.
- St Wulstan's Roman Catholic Church, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire.
- St Wulstan's, Warndon, Worcester
- Church of Our Lady And St Wulstan, Southam, Warwickshire.
Saint Wulstan's name has also been given to a former psychiatric hospital near Malvern and a nature reserve on the site of this former hospital. It is the name of at least one primary school in Worcestershire.
[edit] References
- William of Malmesbury. The Life of St Wulstan
- Emma Mason. St. Wulfstan of Worcester, 1008-95
