www.newadvent.org Open in urlscan Pro
2400:52e0:1e00::1082:1  Public Scan

Form analysis
1 forms found in the DOM

../utility/search.htm

<form id="searchbox_000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0" action="../utility/search.htm">
  <!-- Hidden Inputs -->
  <input type="hidden" name="safe" value="active">
  <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0">
  <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="FORID:9">
  <!-- Search Box -->
  <label for="searchQuery" id="searchQueryLabel">Search:</label>
  <input id="searchQuery" name="q" type="text" size="25" aria-labelledby="searchQueryLabel">
  <!-- Submit Button -->
  <label for="submitButton" id="submitButtonLabel" class="visually-hidden">Submit Search</label>
  <input id="submitButton" type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" aria-labelledby="submitButtonLabel">
</form>

Text Content

 

Search: Submit Search



 Home   Encyclopedia   Summa   Fathers   Bible   Library 

 A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z 


Home > Catholic Encyclopedia > W > St. Winefride


ST. WINEFRIDE

Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this
website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church
Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99...

Born at Holywell, Wales, about 600; died at Gwytherin, Wales, 3 Nov., 660. Her
father was Thevit, a Cambrian magnate, the possessor of three manors in what is
now Flintshire; her mother Wenlo, a sister of St. Beuno and a member of a family
closely connected with the kings of South Wales. St. Beuno had led at first a
solitary life, but afterwards established a community of cenobites at
Clynog-vawr. While in search of a suitable place for a monastery he came to
visit his sister's husband whose lands lay on a bluff overlooking the town of
Holywell on the valley side of the well, and over against the present ruins of
the Abbey of Basingstoke; tradition points this out as the spot on which the
convent of St. Winefride was afterwards built. From this eminence there is a
steep incline down to the stream and the well. In the hollow, then called the
"Dry Hollow", beneath this incline St. Beuno lived and built a chapel in which
he said Mass and preached to the people. Winefride was then one of his most
attentive listeners. Though only fifteen years old she gave herself to a life of
devotion and austerity, passing whole nights watching in the church. Prior to
the conquest of Wales the saint was known as Guenevra; after that her name was
changed to the English form of Winefride. She was a maiden of great personal
charm and endowed with rare gifts of intellect. Under the guidance of St. Beuno,
Winefride made rapid progress in virtue and learning and with her parents'
consent prepared to consecrate herself to God.



The fame of her beauty and accomplishments had reached the ears of Caradoc, son
of the neighbouring Prince Alen, who resolved to seek her hand in marriage.
Coming in person to press his suit he entered the house of Thevit, and found
Winefride alone, her parents having gone early to Mass. The knowledge that
Winefride had resolved to quit the world and consecrate herself to God seemed
only to add fuel to his passion, and he pleaded his cause with extraordinary
vehemence, even proceeding to threats as he saw her turn indignantly away. At
length, terrified at his words and alarmed for her innocence, the maiden escaped
from the house, and hurried towards the church, where her parents were hearing
Mass, that was being celebrated by her uncle, St. Beuno. Maddened by a
disappointed passion, Caradoc pursued her and, overtaking her on the slope above
the site of the present well, he drew his sword and at one blow severed her head
from the body. The head rolled down the incline and, where it rested, there
gushed forth a spring. St. Beuno, hearing of the tragedy, left the altar, and
accompanied by the parents came to the spot where the head lay beside the
spring. Taking up the maiden's head he carried it to where the body lay, covered
both with his cloak, and then re-entered the church to finish the Holy
Sacrifice. When Mass was ended he knelt beside the saint's body, offered up a
fervent prayer to God, and ordered the cloak which covered it to be removed.
Thereupon Winefride, as if awakening from a deep slumber, rose up with no sign
of the severance of the head except a thin white circle round her neck. Seeing
the murderer leaning on his sword with an insolent and defiant air, St. Beuno
invoked the chastisement of heaven, and Caradoc fell dead on the spot, the
popular belief being that the ground opened and swallowed him.

Miraculously restored to life, Winefride seems to have lived in almost perpetual
ecstasy and to have had familiar converse with God. In fulfillment of her
promise, she solemnly vowed virginity and poverty as a recluse. A convent was
built on her father's land, where she became the abbess of a community of young
maidens, and a chapel was erected over the well. St. Beuno left Holywell, and
returned to Cærnarvon. Before he left the tradition is that he seated himself
upon the stone, which now stands in the outer well pool, and there promised in
the name of God "that whosoever on that spot should thrice ask for a benefit
from God in the name of St. Winefride would obtain the grace he asked if it was
for the good of his soul." St. Winefride on her part made agreement with St.
Beuno that so long as she remained at Holywell, and until she heard of his
death, she would yearly send him a memorial of her affection for him. After
eight years spent at Holywell (reckoning from the departure of St. Beuno), St.
Winefride, hearing of his death, received an inspiration to leave the convent
and retire inland. There was reason to fear that Holywell would soon be no
longer safe from the Saxon. The Kingdom of Northumbria was pressing upon the
boarders of North Wales; Anglesea and Chester were already in the hands of the
Saxon. It was time for the British recluses to seek the safety of the mountains;
accordingly St. Winefride went upon her pilgrimage to seek for a place of rest.
Ultimately she arrived at Gwytherin near the source of the River Elwy. This is
still a most retired spot, where Welsh alone is spoken.

Some ten miles further across the vale of the Conway rises the double peak of
Snowdon. St. Winefride was welcomed at Gwytherin by St. Elwy (Elerius), who
gives his name to the River Elwy, and by whom the first life of the saint was
written. She brought her companion religious with her, and found there other
nuns governed by an abbess. She seems to have lived at Gwytherin as an
acknowledged saint on earth, first in humble obedience to the abbess, and, after
the latter's death, as abbess herself until her own death. Her chief feast is
observed on 3 Nov., the other feast held in midsummer being that of her
martyrdom. Her death was foreshown to her in a vision by Christ Himself.



During her life she performed many miracles, and after her death, up to the
present day, countless wonders and favours continue to be worked and obtained
through her intercession.

The details of St. Winefride's life are gathered from a manuscript in the
British Museum, said to have been the work of the British monk, Elerius, a
contemporary of the saint, and also from a manuscript life in the Bodleian
Library, generally believed to have been compiled (1130) by Robert, prior of
Shrewsbury.




SOURCES

Acta SS., Nov., I, 691 sq., 702 sq., 706 sq.; SWIFT, Life of S. Winefride;
Winefride, Virgin and Martyr; MEYRICK, MS. Life of St. Winefride.


ABOUT THIS PAGE

APA citation. Chandlery, P. (1912). St. Winefride. In The Catholic Encyclopedia.
New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15656a.htm

MLA citation. Chandlery, Peter. "St. Winefride." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol.
15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912.
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15656a.htm>.

Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Paula J. Eckardt.
Dedicated in loving memory, and with deep gratitude, to my mother, Patricia J.
Eckardt, 1924-1998.

Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. October 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D.,
Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.

Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address
is webmaster at newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I
greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical
errors and inappropriate ads.

Copyright © 2023 by New Advent LLC. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

CONTACT US | ADVERTISE WITH NEW ADVENT