Saint Ermengild
Saint Ermengild (also: Ermenilda; born c. 640 AD in Kent, England; died February 13, c. 703 AD at Ely, Cambridgeshire, England) was an Anglo-Saxon queen and abbess, the daughter of King Eorcenberht of Kent and his wife Saint Seaxburh of Ely. She married King Wulfhere of Mercia and together with her husband worked for the Christianization of Mercia. After Wulfhere's death, she became a nun and eventually abbess at Ely, succeeding her mother. Her feast day is February 13.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Ermengild
| Saint Ermengild | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | February 13 |
| Profession | Queen of Mercia; Benedictine abbess |
| Rel. Affiliation | Order of Saint Benedict; Ely Abbey |
| Patronage | Ely; abbesses; queens; Anglo-Saxon England; widows entering religious life |
| Attributes | Crown (as queen); abbess's staff and veil; Anglo-Saxon cross; lily |
| Birthplace | Kent, England |
| Death Place | Ely, Cambridgeshire, England |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died at Ely as abbess |
| Primary Shrine | Ely Cathedral, Ely, Cambridgeshire — her relics were kept here; the shrine of the royal family of Ely (she, her mother Seaxburh, her aunt Æthelthryth, and her daughter Werburh all venerated here) |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman Calendar; observed locally at Ely |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Ermengild was born around 640 AD as the daughter of King Eorcenberht of Kent (the first English king to order the destruction of pagan idols) and his queen Saint Seaxburh of Ely. She was raised in a royal Christian household that would produce an extraordinary cluster of saints.
She married King Wulfhere of Mercia (died 675), the son of King Penda — the great pagan enemy of Northumbrian Christianity. Wulfhere, unlike his father, had been baptized a Christian. Ermengild worked with him to promote Christianity in Mercia. They had a daughter, Saint Werburh of Chester, who became one of the great abbesses of Mercia and is patron of Chester.
After Wulfhere's death in 675, Ermengild entered the convent at Sheppey in Kent (founded by her mother Seaxburh), and then moved to Ely. Saint Æthelthryth of Ely — her mother's sister — had founded Ely Abbey; after Æthelthryth's death, Seaxburh became abbess; after Seaxburh's death, Ermengild succeeded as abbess. She governed Ely until her death around 703.
The royal family of Ely — Æthelthryth, Seaxburh, Ermengild, and Werburh — form one of the most remarkable dynasties of holiness in English history. All four are venerated as saints.
Ely Cathedral, built on the site of the abbey, houses the memories of all four. Ermengild's feast is February 13.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Kent, England
Death location: Ely, Cambridgeshire, England
Notable location: The great Benedictine double monastery where she became abbess after her mother Seaxburh; the modern Ely Cathedral stands on the site; she is buried here (Ely, Cambridgeshire, England)
Notable location: Her kingdom as Queen of Mercia; she worked with her husband King Wulfhere for the Christianization of Mercia; an important political-religious figure of the 7th century (Mercia, England)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Ely Cathedral, Ely, Cambridgeshire — the site of Ely Abbey; she and three generations of her family are venerated here.
Feast day
February 13
Veneration
Saint Ermengild is venerated with a feast day on February 13 in the local Roman Catholic and Anglican traditions at Ely.
Prayers
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