Saint Everilda of Everingham | |
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| Feast | 9 July |
Saint Everilda of Everingham (Old English:Eoforhild)[1] was anAnglo-Saxonsaint of the 7th century who founded a convent atEveringham, in theEnglish county of theEast Riding of Yorkshire. All we know of her comes from theYork Breviary.[2]
There are two churches dedicated to St Everilda:St Everilda's Church, Nether Poppleton, andSs Mary & Everilda, Everingham.
She was converted toChristianity by SaintBirinus, along with KingCynegils of Wessex, in 635. Her legend in the York Breviary states that she was of theWessexnobility. She fled from home to become anun, and was joined by Saints Bega and Wuldreda.Saint Wilfrid of York made them all nuns at a place called the Bishop's Dwelling, later known as Everildisham. This place has been identified with present-day Everingham. She gathered a large community of some eighty women.
Her name appears in theMartyrology of Usuard as well as in the church calendars ofYork andNorthumbria.
