St Oswald, Bishop of Worcester and Archbishop of York
- 2 days ago
- 12 min read
His Early Life
St Oswald was born in the year 925 into a family of prominent Danish Christians who had recently been baptised, the same Danes who had invaded England in the ninth century and populated the east and north of England, the region that came to be known as the Danelaw.
Between the years 941 and 958, his uncle St Oda (Odo) the Good served as the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was instrumental in restoring Church life and piety in England following the Danish attacks. Additionally, his uncle Oskytel served as Bishop of York from 958 to 971. Both of them were inspirational figures in the English Church. Byrhtferth of Ramsey, an educated monk, mathematician, and homilist, wrote the earliest version of Oswald's life shortly after his passing. Later on, the chronicler Eadmer, who lived between the years 1060 and 1126, wrote his version of the saint's life, which included descriptions of the miracles he performed. Additionally, there were several synaxaria (lives) of Oswald that were of significant value.
After receiving his early education at Winchester, St Oswald was looked after by his uncle St. Oda while he was a little kid and young man.
"As a result of the destruction caused by the pagan Danes in the previous century, the country's monastic life, religious practices, and religious discipline had all suffered a catastrophic collapse at that time. The pious King Alfred the Great, who had rescued the English state from ruin in the late ninth century, had just began the lengthy process of restoring the English Church by establishing the monastery in Athelney and enlisting Church dignitaries to assist him. "
This was the beginning of the long process. Assisting with the work, Werferth the knowledgeable Bishop of Worcester from approximately 872 until approximately 915, who was a friend, and assistant of King Alfred the Great,
he agreed to translate the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Dialogist from Latin into Old English. Werferth's translation was done at the behest of King Alfred the Great.
The work of Saint Alfred was carried on by his descendants in the tenth century, particularly by Kings Edward the Elder, Athelstan, St. Edgar the Peaceful, and St. Edward the Martyr, as well as by the three holy English hierarchs: Sts. Dunstan of Canterbury, Ethelwold of Winchester and Oswald of Worcester, who was destined to be known in the history of the English Church as a great archpastor and restorer.
His Mission
Over the course of several years, St Oswald completed his education in Winchester with married priests, and it was in Winchester that he was eventually ordained as a priest. Oswald had been striving for a genuine ascetic life since he was a child, and he came to the conclusion that a secular life was not for him.
St Oswald was therefore tonsured and was moved to the renowned monastery of Fleury in France, which is located at Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire and is still in existence today. This occurred about the year 950. Additionally, this monastery was home to the largest library in Western Europe and was in possession of the relics of Saint Benedict of Nursia, who is considered to be the "father of Western monasticism." Over the course of around ten years, Oswald spent his time at Fleury, where he obtained a significant amount of spiritual experience and mastered monastic skills. During his time there, he consumed the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the Church Fathers, studying throughout the day and night. Even more impressively, he memorised most of the services. At one point in time, while the saint was performing the Divine Liturgy, the congregation that was present in the church witnessed an angel making its way down to him at the altar.
"When St. Oda, St. Oswald's loving uncle and mentor, was on his deathbed, he dispatched messengers to him to communicate his blessing to him to return to England and serve God and the people there. Despite the fact that it was painful for him to leave Fleury, Saint Oswald made his way back to England because he recognised the will of God in it."
Soon after his return, he was informed that St Oda had passed away not long before. Initially, St Oswald thought to return to Fleury; but, he decided to seek assistance from his relative Oskytel in York, who became his spiritual father for a period of time. Oskytel was the one who introduced Oswald to St Dunstan of Canterbury, the great Holy archbishop of Canterbury. St Dunstan was in the process of implementing a significant restoration program inside the English Church and was looking for individuals who shared his values to assist him in his endeavours.
"St Dunstan loved St Oswald, who was young, gentle, receptive, and tactful. He immediately recognised in his spirit that the Church would benefit greatly from the fruits of his labours. "
Therefore, for the remainder of his life, St Oswald devoted his efforts to resurrecting monasticism and spiritual life throughout England, working in conjunction with Saints Dunstan and Ethelwold throughout this endeavour.
In the year 961, Dunstan ordained Oswald to the position of Bishop of Worcester, which was located in western England. This diocese would go on to become extremely vast and affluent. Even if it has been around for more than 1330 years, this diocese is still in existence. Saint Oswald was responsible for the reconstruction of St. Peter's Cathedral Church in Worcester, and the new cathedral was dedicated to the Mother of God. He also build a big monastery-cathedral in Worcester and organised the monastic life there according to the model of Fleury. The history of constructing such ecclesiastical structures was typical of early England.
Over time, this monastery rose to become one of the most renowned in all of England. It was during this time period when the majority of clergy members at the former English monasteries and cathedrals were married priests, and there were almost no monks found. "The three holy hierarchs of England" were responsible for the successful reintroduction and spread of monasticism throughout England. This was accomplished through their labours. Even though there was a strong anti-monastic movement among a portion of the nobles (such as the individuals who were responsible for the murder of Saint Edward the Martyr) and fresh attacts from Denmark, by the end of that century, there were flourishing monastic communities for both men and women all over the kingdom.
On the other hand, due to the absence of monastic heritage at Worcester, the aforementioned process was challenging and gradual. Within the confines of his church, Oswald delivered his sermons to the best of his ability, and the people of the town gathered to hear the new preacher.
"Additionally, Oswald taught outside of the church, frequently while standing in an open location. As a result of his holiness and sincerity, people's hearts were drawn to him. In contrast to St. Ethelwold, who, out of enthusiasm for the sake of the Church, frequently conducted himself in a firm and fairly stern manner, in many instances physically expelling married priests from monasteries and replacing them with monks, St. Oswald conducted himself in a manner that was both highly wise and amicable. The principles of love, moderation, patience, and instruction were the cornerstones of his approach.
St Oswald, much like St Dunstan, favoured being slow and quiet rather than being strict and swift wherever possible. Because of his humble and kind demeanour, he was able to win the affection of thousands of English people, who eventually came to love him and gradually make their way back to the road of authentic Christian living after having made mistakes along the way."
Tradition has it that Oswald initially hesitated to demolish the church in Worcester that was build for married priests. However, he decided to construct a new church for monks directly across from the old one, and he allowed both communities to celebrate. When the townspeople witnessed the monks' exemplary and chaste way of life, as well as their magnificent choir singing (St. Oswald himself was a talented chanter with a rare and beautiful voice, according to his contemporaries), and their perfectly disciplined services, they began to visit them. With time, they gradually deserted the church where married priests served, and as a result, they either joined the monks or left, which resulted in the old church being demolished. According to a number of sources that date back to that period of time, Oswald never compelled any married clergy members to quit their positions. Furthermore, during the entirety of his episcopal tenure, married church workers and clergy were present at his monastery alongside the monks.
At some point around the year 962, Saint Oswald most likely rededicated the ancient monastery located in St. Albans, which was the location where the first English martyr, St. Alban, was executed. While this was going on, he established a new monastic community in Westbury-on-Trym, which is located close to Bristol in Somerset. This community was another remarkable establishment, and it initially consisted of his twelve disciples. Seven historic monasteries in Western England were refounded (or rebuilt) by Saint Oswald in the early 970s. This was accomplished in collaboration with King Edgar the Peaceful, who was a lover of monks and a promoter of monastic life in his country. These included Pershore and Evesham in Worcestershire, which have been well-known centers of monastic life, holiness, and pilgrimage for ages. In Gloucestershire, they most likely comprised Deerhurst, Winchcombe, and Gloucester. In the Severn valley, these included Pershore and Evesham.
The holy Bishop was able to attract such a big number of students that he was forced to establish a new enormous community. Therefore, in the year 971, Oswald erected a monastery outside of his diocese at the town of Ramsey, which is located in Cambridgeshire. At the time, Ramsey was a peninsula that was surrounded on three sides by fens or marshes. He dedicated the monastery to Our Lady, Saint Benedict, and All Holy Virgins. Oswald was able to provide his monks with everything that he desired for them to have: flat land, fertile soil, clear water (the River Ouse ran nearby), a wide variety of fish and fowl, and isolation. This blossomed into a vast monastery that he cherished the most; in fact, Oswald was the first abbot of this monastery and spent a significant amount of time there. The monastery church of Ramsey was adorned and embellished by Saint Oswald for a considerable amount of time, and there are still some descriptions of the magnificent church that existed throughout his time period. After that, Ramsey became one of the most prosperous and prominent mediaeval monasteries in England. Some of the buildings and ruins of the former Ramsey Monastery are now utilised by a local college, and the Church of St. Thomas Becket, which was constructed by the monastery in the twelfth century as an infirmary or guesthouse, is still in operation today.
A major center on the site of the early eighth-century hermitage of St. Guthlac amid the marshes, who is remembered as "the English St. Antony the Great," was finally established at Crowland in Lincolnshire as a result of all of these labours. Crowland is located in Lincolnshire. Although it was accomplished later, not during the lifetime of the three English holy hierarchs, this great revival effort ultimately resulted in the restoration of monastic life in the northern region of England. This was due to the fact that the influence of Danish settlers in the northern region was still too powerful at that time. In 970, Oswald, along with Dunstan and Ethelwold, contributed to the creation of the significant document known as Regularis Concordia, which was ultimately approved and signed by the parties involved. In England, this constitution governed the way monastic life and discipline were conducted.
"It was in the year 972 when St Oswald was given the position of Archbishop of York, while he continued to serve as Bishop of Worcester. After the Danish invasions, the monastic life in the northern part of England was quite poor, which provided an explanation for this step that was not really canonical. Oswald did everything in his power to bring back the monastic way of life in Yorkshire, particularly in Ripon, which was the location where the monastery had been established in the seventh century by the famous missionary St. Wilfrid of York."
In Ripon, he may have gathered fragments of relics belonging to local saints, including St. Wilfrid, and brought them to Worcester Cathedral for the purpose of devotion. As a result, according to tradition, there may be some remains of Wilfrid concealed within this Cathedral even to this day. Furthermore, St. Oswald, along with his fellow archpastors Dunstan and Ethelwold, was a capable advisor to the royal family for a considerable amount of time. He was an ascetic, a visionary, a person who encouraged monks, and a person who consoled the people. His intimate ties to the royal family allowed him to acquire a large amount of land for his monasteries, which he used to establish his institutions.
St Oswald continued to be an active preacher, an ardent bishop, and a builder of numerous churches right up until the beginning of his final days. Because he was an excellent shepherd, he frequently went to all of his monasteries. Through the invitation of Fleury preachers, mathematicians, and astronomers, he encouraged erudition among his monks. His own writings included a number of treatises. Among the numerous saints associated with Saint Oswald, we might note St. Abbo, a knowledgeable monk from Fleury who was invited to Ramsey in the 980s for a period of two years, either by Oswald (which is more likely) or by Dunstan, and he taught there. Importantly, Abbo was able to discover the account of the martyrdom of Holy King Edmund of East Anglia while he was in England. He then went on to write his Life, which has the distinction of being preserved to this day.
Another renowned saint was St Ednoth, who was Oswald's relative and whose feast day was October 19 or November 1. In the end, he became the Abbot of Ramsey after completing his studies at Worcester under the tutelage of Saint Oswald. After that, he established the Chatteris Convent and the St. Ives Monastery in the county of Cambridgeshire. He was a Bishop of Dorchester-on-Thames about the year 1007, but in the year 1012, he was murdered by Pagan Danes. Sts. Oswald and Ednoth are pictured together in the manuscript that dates back to the fourteenth century and is known as the "Ramsey Psalter." His relics were housed at Ely. On the other hand, there is an other "Ramsey Psalter" that was illuminated earlier. This particular "Ramsey Psalter" was most likely constructed by Ramsey monks and was personally owned by St. Oswald. It is currently kept in the British Museum.
His Repose
St Oswald spent some time at his cherished monastery at Ramsey, Ramsey, in the latter part of the year 991, where he embraced and blessed his monks for the very last time. He knew that his time on earth was drawing to a close, and so, just before he left, he addressed the brothers and said, "May the Lord gather all of us in His Heavenly Kingdom."
He remained in Worcester throughout the winter, and on February 29, 992 (a leap year), he performed his final Liturgy. [1] This was the year that he served. It was during the time of Lent. After that, he washed the feet of twelve impoverished men while singing the Psalms, as was his customary practice throughout the Lenten fast throughout the entire period. It was on the same day that the holy person of God knelt down and reposed, having just finished uttering the words, "Glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit!"
It didn't take long for the news of the holy father and bishop's passing to spread like wildfire through the cities and villages. During that particular day, it was stated that merchants closed their stores, women stopped weaving, and everyone rushed to him. This included orphans, widows, monks, clergy, foreigners, peasants, and paupers, all of whom he had cared for during his lifetime. They all shed tears of sorrow. During the process of transporting his remains to the location where he would be laid to rest in Worcester, a white dove flew above the procession. In addition to being revered and remembered for his holy life and learning, the hierarch was also known for his kindness and compassion, his honesty and humility, his hospitality, and his concern for the most fortunate. He was revered after his death, according to the author of his story, who claims that he was adored thru his entire life. It is true that he was a rare saint who was both humble and kind-hearted. He had a good look, a musical voice, an open and attractive character, and numerous abilities. In spirit, he was very close to early English saints such as Cuthbert, Aidan, Chad, John of Beverley, Cuthman, and Swithin of Winchester.
St Oswald's relics were placed in a new shrine in a solemn ceremony in the year 1002. At long last, his adoration spread across the nation. In Worcester, York, and Ramsey, he was remembered in particular for his contributions. During the second half of the eleventh century, the Worcester Monastery-Cathedral, which was formerly known as St. Mary's Priory, was reconstructed by Wulfstan of Worcester (1008-1095), the great successor of Oswald. Wulfstan was the last native English bishop from the "old" Church to serve after the Norman Conquest. His relics were kept in the monastery crypt for a period of time after the rebuilding of the monastery. More than a few miracles have taken place at the relics of Saints throughout the course of several centuries. At Worcester Cathedral, the tombs of St Oswald and St Wulfstan, the latter of whom is considered a saint by Roman Catholics, were situated in close proximity to one another. The holiness that was present at Worcester Monastery left such an impression on King John Lackland that he gave the order for him to be interred at the Cathedral in the same place as these two saints. It was because of this close royal connection that the Cathedral was spared destruction during the Reformation.
In the course of the Reformation, the shrines of both saints were destroyed, and their relics were buried beneath the floor of the Cathedral, close to the altar. It is said that their relics continue to rest there to this day, awaiting the moment when they will once more be revealed to Christians who are devoted to their faith.
Holy Hierarch Oswald of Worcester and York, pray to God for us!
Commemorated February 28 NC /March 13 OC
Troparion
Troparion in Tone IV
"O glorious Oswald, thou rule of faith and model of meekness, splendour of Worcester and luminary of York, like a tree in the midst of paradise didst thou bear the fruit of the virtues for thy Lord, and therewith thou enlightenest all who cherish thine honoured memory and ever cry out to thee in prayer: Intercede, O holy bishop, that our souls may be saved."
Sources: orthodoxengland.org.uk , orthochristian.com ,
Comments