Saint Aldate
Saint Aldate (also known as Old Date or Eldad; dates uncertain, traditionally fifth or sixth century) is a semi-legendary British or Welsh saint venerated in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican tradition, associated chiefly with the city of Oxford in England. The historical details of his life are obscure; the earliest sources give little reliable biographical information, and he is known primarily through local hagiographic tradition and through the churches dedicated to him. He is sometimes identified as an early Bishop of Gloucester, though this claim is disputed by modern historians. His feast day is February 4.
The name Aldate (Aldatus, Eldad) is of uncertain etymology; it has been connected with both Celtic British naming traditions and with Old English. A church dedicated to him in Oxford—Saint Aldate's Church on the main street of that name—has given him lasting visibility in the English tradition, though his historical existence remains uncertain.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Aldate
| Saint Aldate | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | February 04 |
| Profession | Bishop (traditional) |
| Rel. Affiliation | Early British Church |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; crozier |
| Birthplace | Britain (traditional; possibly Gloucester area) |
| Death Place | Britain |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes (traditional) |
| Primary Shrine | Saint Aldate's Church, Oxford, England |
| Liturgical Class | Not included (universal calendar) |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Saint Aldate is associated with the early Christian community of Roman and sub-Roman Britain. The hagiographic tradition sometimes identifies him as a bishop who served in the Gloucester or Oxford area in the fifth or sixth century, during the period of transition from Roman Britain to the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. However, the evidence for his historical existence is thin and largely derived from the existence of the church dedicated to him in Oxford rather than from primary historical documentation.
The church of Saint Aldate's in Oxford, which stands on the principal north-south street of the medieval city (also known as Saint Aldate's), has maintained his memory in the Oxford tradition continuously from at least the medieval period. The street named Saint Aldate's runs from Carfax (the central crossroads of Oxford) to Folly Bridge over the Thames, passing Christ Church College.
Some hagiographic sources distinguish between Aldate and other saints of similar name; others identify him with Eldad or Aldatus appearing in various Welsh and British genealogies and martyrologies.
Significant events
- Venerated in the early British Christian tradition as a bishop.
- Associated with the Oxford area through the church dedicated to him.
- Feast established on February 4 in the local tradition.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: None
Death location: None
Notable location: Church dedicated to him in Oxford; gives his name to the street (Saint Aldate's Church, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England)
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Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Saint Aldate have been added to the database yet.
Media
No media found for this saint.
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
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List of shrines
Saint Aldate's Church, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
- Saint Aldate's Church on Saint Aldate's Street in Oxford is the principal site associated with the memory of Saint Aldate. The current church building is largely Victorian in its present form but occupies a site of medieval and possibly earlier Christian use. The street named after the saint passes in front of Christ Church, Oxford, and the church is a lively Anglican parish.
- Pilgrimage details: 40 Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP, England. Open year-round. Diocese of Oxford (Church of England).
- Facts: Saint Aldate's is one of the oldest church foundations in Oxford; the church's distinctive name has made Aldate one of the best-known (if most obscure) of the British pre-Conquest saints.
Canonization
Canonization
Saint Aldate is venerated through the ancient process of local veneration in the English Christian tradition.
Miracles
No specific miracles have been authenticated through the modern Congregation for the Causes of Saints process.
Feast day
February 04
Veneration
Saint Aldate is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion with a feast day on February 4. His cult is local, associated primarily with Oxford and the church that bears his name.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.