#saint oswald

[whencyclopedia]

PEOPLE OF THE ANCIENT WORLD: Oswald of Northumbria

OSWALD of Northumbria (c. 604 - c. 642 CE) was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon king and saint. He came to power in Northumbria c. 633 or 634 CE following his victory over Cadwallon ap Cadfan, King of Gwynedd. Oswald ruled over the Northumbrian kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira but also exerted significant authority over parts of modern-day England, Wales, and Scotland.

Oswald vigorously spread Christianity in his kingdom and beyond. C. 642 CE, he was killed at the Battle of Maserfield against the Mercian king Penda. Following his death, Oswald was revered as a saint and martyr. His relics were venerated and a cult formed in England and on the Continent which thrived in the Middle Ages.

Read More 

Article by Wesley Fiorentino on AHE

[mrdirtybear]

Saint Oswald, King of Northumbria. A Detail from the work-day side of the stationary wing of the Saint Anne altarpiece from the Church of Saint John the Baptist in Kisszeben, today Sabinov, in Slovakia. Oswald (604 – 642) was King of Northumbria from 634 until his death. He was probably not thought of as saint in his lifetime. But in his death he one of many men of high status whose preserved remains were said to be a source of healing after their deaths.

[botticellisniece]

[lilliameadow]

Can you imagine washing the feet of a homeless person? St Oswald of Worchester did it, 12 times a day during Lent. In fact, he was in the act of washing a homeless man's feet when he died on 29 February 992. He founded a number of monasteries during his time as bishop and archbishop of York, England.  He is one of the few Medieval saints whose biography and hagiography were written shortly after his death by people who knew him, and a psalter (a book of psalms and devotional readings) that were used by Oswald still exist and are kept at Sidney Sussex College of Cambridge University.  He developed a system of calculating the date of Easter for each year, and it was also used for centuries to try to predict date of the Last Judgment. 28 February is his feast day.

So, would you wash the feet of a homeless person?

[caitriona-3]

Saint Oswald

(605 – August 5, 642)

[guthbrand]

[ruleoffaith-blog]

St Aidan kissing the hand of St Oswald Painting by Ford Madox Brown, 1864