Saint Swithun
Saint Swithun (born c. 800 AD in Wessex, England; died July 2, 862 AD in Winchester, Hampshire, England) was the Bishop of Winchester from 852 to 862 AD. He was a counselor to King Æthelwulf of Wessex and may have helped educate the young Prince Alfred (later Alfred the Great). He is most famous for the English weather tradition: if it rains on Saint Swithun's Day (July 15), it will rain for 40 days; if it is fair, it will be fair for 40 days. This tradition is associated with the translation of his relics in 971 AD. His feast day is July 15.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Swithun
| Saint Swithun | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | July 15 |
| Profession | Bishop of Winchester (852–862 AD); royal counselor to King Æthelwulf of Wessex; confessor; possible tutor of Alfred the Great |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Church of England (venerated); Diocese of Winchester; Anglo-Saxon English church; 9th-century Wessex; Benedictine influence; English hagiographic tradition |
| Patronage | Winchester; the Diocese of Portsmouth; those praying for fair weather or rain; England; builders (from a bridge-building miracle attributed to him); the Met Office (informal association with weather prediction) |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; the rain (July 15 tradition); fish (a miracle story involving a bridge and eggs); a bridge (bridge-building tradition); Winchester Cathedral in background; humble grave marker outdoors |
| Birthplace | Wessex, England |
| Death Place | Winchester, Hampshire, England |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died July 2, 862 AD, in Winchester; he had been Bishop of Winchester since 852 AD; before his death he requested to be buried outside the cathedral in a humble grave where people would walk over him and rain would fall on him; this humble burial request was respected for approximately 109 years; in 971 AD his relics were translated indoors to a magnificent shrine — an event accompanied by such heavy rain (lasting 40 days, the tradition says) that the people interpreted it as the saint's displeasure at being moved indoors; the translation became the origin of the Swithun's Day weather tradition |
| Primary Shrine | Winchester Cathedral, Winchester — site of his destroyed medieval shrine; modern memorial; July 15 feast observed; Cathedral Church of England also venerates him; most important pilgrimage site in Hampshire |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial (Roman Rite); July 15; Feast in England; Diocese of Portsmouth patron |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar; observed locally in Winchester and England |
Biography
Swithun was born c. 800 AD in Wessex, England. He served at the court of King Ecgberht and then King Æthelwulf of Wessex, where he was a trusted royal adviser. He may have had a role in the education of Prince Alfred, later Alfred the Great.
He was consecrated Bishop of Winchester in 852 AD and served until his death on July 2, 862 AD. He was known for his humility, pastoral care, and care for the poor. Before his death he asked to be buried outside the cathedral in a simple grave where people would walk over him and rain would fall on him.
His wish was respected for 109 years. In 971 AD, Bishop Æthelwold translated his relics indoors to a grand shrine — on July 15. Tradition says it then rained continuously for 40 days, interpreted as the saint's protest. This gave rise to the "Saint Swithun's Day" weather proverb known throughout the English-speaking world.
His shrine at Winchester became one of the great pilgrimage sites of medieval England. Henry VIII's commissioners destroyed it in 1538.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Wessex, England
Death location: Winchester, Hampshire, England
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Winchester Cathedral — site of his destroyed medieval shrine; modern memorial; July 15 feast observed by both Catholic and Church of England communities.
Feast day
July 15
Veneration
Saint Swithun was the 9th-century Bishop of Winchester whose relics' translation on July 15, 971 AD, gave rise to the English weather proverb: if it rains on Saint Swithun's Day, it will rain for 40 days. His feast is July 15.
Prayers
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