Edith of Wilton

Saint Edith of Wilton (also known as Eadgyth or Ediva) was born at Kemsing, Kent in 961.

She was the illegitimate daughter of King Edgar the Peaceful. Her mother was Wulfthryth, a nun of noble birth, whom Edgar forcibly carried off from her monastery at Wilton. Under St. Dunstan's direction, he did penance for this crime by not wearing his crown for seven years.

As soon as Wulfthrith could escape from him, she returned to her cell and, there, Edith was born. Edith took the veil very early, with her father's consent. He made her abbess of three different communities, but she chose to remain under her mother at the convent at Wilton.

In AD 979. Edith dreamt that she lost her right eye and knew the dream was sent to warn her of the death of her brother King Edward the Martyr , who, in fact, was murdered at that very time, while visiting his stepmother, Queen Ælfthryth, at Corfe Castle, Dorset.

She was allegedly offered the crown of England by nobles who had supported her murdered brother Edward against her young half-brother, Ethelred, but refused it. Notwithstanding her refusal of all Royal honours and worldly power, she always dressed magnificently and, as Bishop Æthelwold of Winchester remonstrated, she answered that purity and humility could exist as well under Royal robes as under rags.

She built a church at Wilton, and dedicated it in the name of Saint Denis. Saint Dunstan was invited to the dedication and wept much during mass. Being asked the reason, he said it was because Edith would die in three weeks, which actually happened, on 15 September AD 984.

External links

* [http://www.britannia.com/bios/saints/edithwilton.html St. Edith at Britannia]