Also known as

• Cynehelm
• Chenelmo

Memorial

• 17 July

Profile

Mercianprince, the son ofKing Coenwulf. Venerated as aboyking andmartyr in the Middle Ages, though his biography became mixed with pious legends, one of which says he was killed on orders of his sister.

Mentioned in theCanterbury Tales’s Nun’s Priest’s Tale.SaintJohn Henry Newman made frequentpilgrimages to the shrine ofSaint Kenelm’smartyrdom. For many years the villagers of Kenelstowe,England celebrated Saint Kenelm’s Day with the ancient custom of “crabbing the parson” – bombarding the parson with crab apples!

Died

• killed inbattle in821 at Clent Hills near Birmingham,England
• relics discovered after a vision and taken to theabbey of Winchcombe,England

Canonized

• Pre-Congregation

Patronage

• inEngland
  • Gloucester
  • Winchcombe

Representation

• boy in royal robes holding alily
• boyking trampling his disloyal sister

MLA Citation

• “Saint Kenelm“.CatholicSaints.Info. 28 February 2024. Web. 3 April 2025. <>