Ethelburga of Faremoutier
Encyclopedia
Saint Æthelburg known as Ethelburga, was an Anglo-Saxon
princess, abbess and saint.
Æthelburg was one of the daughters of King Anna of East Anglia
although she was probably illegitimate. Her sisters were Saint Withburga
, Saint Saethrid
, who was abbess of Faremoutiers Abbey
in Brie
, Saint Seaxburh and Æthelthryth
who were abbesses of Ely
.
Æthelburg and Saethrid were sent to the nunnery of Faremoutiers for their education. While there Æthelburg became a nun and eventually succeeded Saethrid as abbess. As abbess, Æthelburg began work on a church in honour of the twelve apostles which was left unfinished
at her death in 664. At her request she was buried in the church. After seven years a decision was made to move her bones to the near-by church of Saint Stephen and her body was found to be uncorrupted. Her feast day is July 7.
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
princess, abbess and saint.
Æthelburg was one of the daughters of King Anna of East Anglia
Anna of East Anglia
Anna was King of East Anglia from the early 640s until his death. Anna was a member of the Wuffingas family, the ruling dynasty of the East Angles. He was one of the three sons of Eni who ruled East Anglia, succeeding some time after Ecgric was killed in battle by Penda of Mercia...
although she was probably illegitimate. Her sisters were Saint Withburga
Saint Withburga
Wihtburh was an East Anglia saint, princess and abbess who was possibly a daughter of Anna of East Anglia. She founded a monastery at Dereham in Norfolk and a traditional story says that the Virgin Mary sent a pair of does to provide milk for her workers during the monastery's construction...
, Saint Saethrid
Saethryth
Saint Sæthryth , also called Sedrido, Sethrida or Saethrid, was the stepdaughter of king Anna of East Anglia, who became a Benedictine nun at the abbey of Faremoutiers-en-Brie, Gaul under its foundress Saint Burgundofara, whom she succeeded as abbess...
, who was abbess of Faremoutiers Abbey
Faremoutiers Abbey
Faremoutiers Abbey was founded circa 620 by Burgundofara . It formed an important link between the Merovingian Frankish Empire and the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Kent and East Anglia....
in Brie
Brie
Brie is a historic region of France most famous for its dairy products, especially Brie cheese. It was once divided into two sections ruled by different feudal lords: the western Brie française, corresponding roughly to the modern department of Seine-et-Marne in the Île-de-France region; the...
, Saint Seaxburh and Æthelthryth
Æthelthryth
Æthelthryth is the proper name for the popular Anglo-Saxon saint often known, particularly in a religious context, as Etheldreda or by the pet form of Audrey...
who were abbesses of Ely
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
.
Æthelburg and Saethrid were sent to the nunnery of Faremoutiers for their education. While there Æthelburg became a nun and eventually succeeded Saethrid as abbess. As abbess, Æthelburg began work on a church in honour of the twelve apostles which was left unfinished
Unfinished work
An unfinished work is creative work that has not been finished. Its creator may have chosen never to finish it or may have been prevented from doing so by circumstances outside of their control such as death. Such pieces are often the subject of speculation as to what the finished piece would have...
at her death in 664. At her request she was buried in the church. After seven years a decision was made to move her bones to the near-by church of Saint Stephen and her body was found to be uncorrupted. Her feast day is July 7.
See also
- Wuffing dynasty family tree