- Also called:
- Wilfrid of York
- Born:
- 634, Northumbria, Eng.
- Died:
- April 24, 709/710, monastery of Oundle, Mercia, Eng.
- Founder:
- England
- Role In:
- Synod of Whitby
Saint Wilfrid
-
Who was Saint Wilfrid?
Saint Wilfrid (634â709/710) was an influential English monk and bishop who worked to strengthen ties between the Anglo-Saxon Church and the papacy.
Wilfrid entered the monastery of Lindisfarne in 648. Later, he went to Canterbury, and in 652, he set out for Rome. He spent three years in Lyon before returning to Northumbria in 657/658. King Oswiuâs son, Alhfrith, gave him a monastery at Ripon, Yorkshire. In 663/664, he was ordained a priest by Bishop Agilbert and advocated for the rejection of Celtic practices at the Synod of Whitby (664).
Wilfrid introduced the Benedictine Rule to the kingdom, enhanced liturgical chanting, and was a great builder at York, Ripon, and Hexham. He supported papal supremacy and was among the first to envision Anglo-Saxons evangelizing Germanic peoples.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Where did Saint Wilfrid live and work?
Saint Wilfrid, an eminent English saint, lived and worked in various locations throughout England and the European continent. He was born in Northumbria in 634 and entered the monastery of Lindisfarne in 648.
Wilfrid's work included establishing Roman Church observances over Celtic practices. Key places in his life and work were:
* Ripon: King Oswiu's son Alhfrith gave Wilfrid a monastery here, and Wilfrid was later buried in Ripon.
* York: Wilfrid was elected bishop, though he later refused consecration by Celtic bishops.
* Hexham: He built a monastery and became bishop here in 705.
* Frisia: During the winter of 677â678, Wilfrid helped Christianize the Frisians.
* Selsey: He founded a monastery here.
* Mercia: He spent 11 years in exile and acted as bishop.1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Why is Saint Wilfrid considered an important figure in English history?
Saint Wilfrid (634â709/710) was a prominent English saint who significantly shaped the Anglo-Saxon Church by fostering closer ties with the papacy. He championed Roman Church practices over Celtic traditions, sparking considerable controversy.
Wilfrid's advocacy at the Synod of Whitby in 664 led to the adoption of Roman practices. As bishop, he introduced the Benedictine Rule to Northumbria and was the first English ecclesiastic to appeal to Rome. His efforts extended to evangelization, and he was a builder and improved liturgical practices. Saint Willibrord, the apostle of Friesland, was his pupil. Wilfrid tirelessly defended papal authority against secular interference, a stance that was rare for his time.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What role did Saint Wilfrid play in the church in England?
Saint Wilfrid was an English monk and bishop who advocated for close ties between the Anglo-Saxon Church and the papacy. He is known for championing the practices of the Roman Church over those of the Celtic Church.
Wilfrid played a key role at the Synod of Whitby in 664, where he successfully argued for the adoption of Roman practices. Later, as bishop of Hexham, he introduced the Benedictine Rule to the kingdom. He also appealed to Rome when his diocese was divided, setting a precedent as the first English ecclesiastic to do so. Wilfrid spread the knowledge of the Benedictine Rule, brought religious treasures from the Continent, and helped improve the chanting of the liturgy.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did Saint Wilfrid influence the spread of Christianity in England?
Saint Wilfrid was an English monk and bishop who lived from 634 to 709/710. He played a significant role in spreading Christianity in England by advocating for the practices of the Roman Church over those of the Celtic Church. At the Synod of Whitby in 664, he successfully argued for the rejection of Celtic traditions in favor of Roman ones.
After being appointed bishop of York, Wilfrid introduced the Benedictine Rule to the kingdom and built monasteries at Hexham. He also helped Christianize the people of Sussex and founded a monastery at Selsey. Additionally, Wilfrid spread knowledge of the Benedictine Rule, brought religious treasures from the Continent, and improved the chanting of the liturgy.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What challenges and controversies did Saint Wilfrid face during his life?
Saint Wilfrid, an influential figure in the Anglo-Saxon Church, faced numerous challenges and controversies throughout his life. He tirelessly advocated for the adoption of Roman Church practices over those of the Celtic Church, leading to conflicts over discipline and precedent.
Wilfrid's staunch support for Rome put him at odds with local customs, as evidenced by his prominent role at the Synod of Whitby where he successfully argued for the rejection of Celtic practices. His appointment as bishop of York was contested, and he was later deposed and exiled after a dispute with King Ecgfrith. Despite papal support for his restoration, Wilfrid continued to face resistance and spent years in exile before eventually being granted his monasteries at Ripon and Hexham.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Saint Wilfrid (born 634, Northumbria, Eng.âdied April 24, 709/710, monastery of Oundle, Mercia, Eng.; feast day October 12) was one of the greatest English saints, a monk and bishop who was outstanding in bringing about close relations between the Anglo-Saxon Church and the papacy. He devoted his life to establishing the observances of the Roman Church over those of the Celtic Church and fought a stormy series of controversies on discipline and precedent.
In 648 Wilfrid entered the celebrated monastery of Lindisfarne, off the coast of Northumberland. Later he went to Canterbury and then set out in 652 for Rome. Having spent three years in Lyon, Fr., he returned to Northumbria in 657/658. Soon he received a monastery at Ripon, Yorkshire, from King Oswiuâs son, Alhfrith. He was ordained a priest in 663/664 by the Gaulish bishop Agilbert, for whom he acted as spokesman at the Synod of Whitby (664), successfully advocating the rejection of Celtic practices in favour of Roman. Alhfrith had him elected bishop of York, but Wilfrid refused to be consecrated by Celtic bishops and was therefore consecrated at CompiĂšgne, Fr.
Meanwhile, Oswiu appointed St. Chad as bishop of York instead, and Wilfrid on his return lived (666â669) at Ripon. He was restored in 669, when Archbishop St. Theodore of Canterbury deposed Chad, and he thereby became primate of Northumbria. He built a monastery at Hexham and introduced the Benedictine Rule to the kingdom. In 677 Theodore divided Wilfridâs diocese, and Wilfrid appealed to Rome (the first English ecclesiastic to do so), where he arrived in 679 after having helped convert the Frisians (winter of 677â678). Pope St. Agatho and a Roman synod (October 679) ordered his restoration but accepted the division of his diocese on condition that he, with a local council, appoint the new bishops.
King Ecgfrith, Oswiuâs successor, refused to obey the papal mandate, however, and apparently imprisoned Wilfrid, who finally took refuge in Sussex, Christianizing its people and founding a monastery at Selsey. In 685 he joined King Caedwalla of Wessex, who gave him a quarter of his conquests in the Isle of Wight. Aldfrith, Ecgfrithâs successor, recalled him in 686/687. Although his deposition and its nullification following Agathoâs injunctions were reissued by popes SS. Benedict II and Sergius I, Wilfrid still remained improperly restored. Demanding the fulfillment of his rights granted by Agatho, he spent 11 years in exile, acting as bishop in Mercia. A council was held in 702, but Wilfrid, refusing to promise unconditional acceptance of the Archbishopâs rulings, went again to Rome, where his case was debated during 704. Though the Roman synod cleared Wilfrid of charges against him, it referred the question back to an English synod that met in Yorkshire in 705. Wilfrid, no longer insisting on York, was given his monasteries of Ripon and Hexham, becoming bishop of Hexham in 705 and retaining his monasteries in Mercia. He was buried at Ripon.
Wilfrid spread the knowledge of the Benedictine Rule, brought religious treasures from the Continent, and helped improve the chanting of the liturgy. He was a great builder at York, Ripon, and Hexham. He was one of the first to conceive the idea of Anglo-Saxons evangelizing the Germanic peoples. St. Willibrord, the apostle of Friesland and patron saint of Holland, was his devoted pupil, and he also consecrated St. Swithberht. In ecclesiastical policies, he fought steadily against the setting aside of papal authority by a local church subjected to secular power; rare for his time and place, he upheld utter papal supremacy. A life of Wilfrid by his disciple Eddi was translated into English in 1927 by B. Colgrave.