Saint Winifred
Saint Winifred (also spelled Winefride; Welsh: Gwenfrewi; born c. 630 AD in Holywell, Flintshire, Wales; died c. 660 AD in Gwytherin, Conwy, Wales) was a Welsh Christian woman who is the most famous female saint of Wales. According to her legend, she was beheaded by a chieftain named Caradog when she resisted his advances; at the place where her head fell, a healing spring appeared; she was miraculously restored to life through the intercession of her uncle, Saint Beuno. The spring at Holywell (Ffynnon Wenfrewi — Winifred's Well) is the oldest continuously visited pilgrimage site in Britain. Her feast day is November 3.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Winifred
| Saint Winifred | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | November 03 |
| Profession | Virgin; abbess of Gwytherin; niece and spiritual daughter of Saint Beuno; patroness of Wales |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Church of England (venerated); early Welsh church; 7th-century Welsh Christianity; one of the principal patronesses of Wales; the Holywell pilgrimage tradition |
| Patronage | Wales; Holywell; those with sick bodies (healing well); virgins; those who resist sexual violence; Wales and the Welsh diaspora; the Diocese of Wrexham |
| Attributes | White circle or scar on her neck (the mark of decapitation and miraculous restoration); a palm of martyrdom/virgin; the Holywell spring or fountain; an abbess's crozier; Welsh landscape; the Gothic well chapel |
| Birthplace | Holywell, Flintshire, Wales |
| Death Place | Gwytherin, Conwy, Wales (final death) |
| Cause of Death | According to hagiographic tradition, she died twice: first decapitated at Holywell c. 640 AD by the chieftain Caradog, and restored to life miraculously by Saint Beuno; she lived thereafter as a religious woman, eventually becoming abbess of Gwytherin (modern Conwy, Wales), where she died peacefully c. 660 AD; her second and final death was natural; the miraculous restoration to life after decapitation is hagiographically parallel to the cephalophory tradition (carrying one's own head) found in French saints like Saint Denis and Saint Regina |
| Primary Shrine | St Winifred's Well, Holywell, Flintshire — the oldest continuously visited pilgrimage site in Britain; the Gothic well chapel (c. 1500); bathing pool; approximately 35,000 pilgrims annually; run by the Archdiocese of Cardiff and the Jesuits |
| Liturgical Class | Memorial (Roman Rite); November 3; Feast in Wales; widely observed in England |
| Historic Class | Double (November 3) in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Winifred was born c. 630 AD at Holywell, Flintshire, Wales, niece of Saint Beuno, one of the great Welsh monastic saints.
According to her tradition, she was beheaded at Holywell by a chieftain named Caradog when she refused his advances. At the spot where her head fell, a healing spring appeared — still flowing today. Her uncle Beuno restored her to life miraculously; she bore a white scar around her neck for the rest of her life.
She entered religious life, eventually becoming abbess of Gwytherin (modern Conwy), where she died peacefully c. 660 AD.
The spring at Holywell (Ffynnon Wenfrewi) has been a pilgrimage site continuously since approximately the 7th century — the oldest continuously visited pilgrimage site in Britain. The Gothic well chapel (c. 1500) built by Lady Margaret Beaufort remains intact and still receives approximately 35,000 pilgrims annually.
Her relics were translated to Shrewsbury Abbey in 1138. She is one of the principal patrons of Wales alongside Saint David. Her feast is November 3.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Holywell, Flintshire, Wales
Death location: Gwytherin, Conwy, Wales (final death)
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Parishes
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| This map created from a Cargo query () |
| Parish | Diocese | City | AdministrativeSubdivision | Country | ParishWebsite |
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| Parish | Diocese | City | AdministrativeSubdivision | Country | ParishWebsite |
| St. Winifred (Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana) | Diocese of Alexandria | Center Point, LA | Louisiana | United States |
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| The Saint Who Was Beheaded… and Came Back to Life - Saint Winifred | Under 5 minutes | The One Minute Catholic |
Shrines
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Known shrines
- St Winifred's Well, Holywell, Flintshire — the oldest continuously visited pilgrimage site in Britain; Gothic well chapel (c. 1500); 35,000 pilgrims annually.
- Shrewsbury Abbey — secondary relic shrine (pre-dissolution).
Feast day
November 3
Veneration
Saint Winifred is the principal female patron of Wales. The healing spring at Holywell that arose at the site of her decapitation is the oldest continuously visited pilgrimage site in Britain, in use since the 7th century. Feast November 3.
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.