St. Ethelreda, Abbess
by VP
Posted on Sunday June 23, 2024 at 12:00AM in Saints
"ANOTHER FAMILY OF SAINTS.-The pious Anna, king of the East Angles, was the father of St. Ethelreda, and her mother was St. Heruwyda; her sisters were St. Sexburga, St. Withburga, and St. Ethelburga, who died as a nun in France. Ethelreda was born at Ermyng, in the county of Suffolk, and was brought up in the fear of God. After having passed three years in married life, though in a state of continence, she retired to the island of Ely, in order to devote herself to practices of piety. Afterwards yielding to the entreaties of Egfrid, king of the Northumbrians, she consented to assume the dignity of queen, but only on condition of still keeping holy continence.
Notwithstanding all the good she effected by the influence of her example in the world, she preferred seeking anew the calm of retirement, and withdrew to the nunnery of Coldingham, and subsequently to the isle of Ely, where she founded a nunnery herself, and there died in 679. Her body having been exhumed eleven years after, was found exempt from corruption, and many miracles were wrought by mere contact therewith.
MORAL REFLECTION. -Happy
those families where "the children's children are the crown of the old,
and the glory of children are their fathers!"-(Prov. xvii. 6.)" The Pictorial Half Hours with the Saints by Fr. Lecanu
