Saints of the Week

Saint: Winifred

Virtue: 3rd November

Feast Day: Innocence

Very few Saints have two feast days during the year. In Wales Winifred’s martyrdom is

 celebrated on June 22 and her death on November 3.

Winifred lived in Wales in the seventh century. Her uncle Saint Beuno helped to nourish her desire to lead a life of virtue and holiness.

According to legend, a chieftain named Caradog became enraged when Winifred spurned his advances. As she tried to flee he seized her and cut off her head.

Then Saint Beuno implored God to restore Winifred’s life and his prayer was answered.

Winifred later became a nun and then abbess at the convent of Gwytherin. Fifteen years after her miraculous restoration to life she died around 650.

When Winifred was martyred at the place where her head fell, a spring gushed forth. This was called Holy Well. It became a favourite site for pilgrimage where many cures have been reported over the centuries. Devotion to Saint Winifred grew rapidly, and six ancient churches in Wales were dedicated to her.

Saint Martin of Tours

Feast Day: 11th November

Virtue: Generosity

Martin was born of pagan parents in what is now Hungary around the year 316 and was

 raised in Italy. The son of a Roman officer he was forced to serve in the army at the age of 15. He was baptized at 18.

On a cold day, the legend goes, Martin met a poor man, almost naked trembling and begging from people who passed by. Martin had nothing but weapons and clothes. He drew his sword cut his coat into two pieces and gave one to the beggar. That night in his sleep Martin saw Christ dressed in the half of the garment he had given away.

At 23 Martin went to be a disciple of St Hilary of Poitiers, France and was ordained a priest. He preached throughout the countryside for ten years.

The people of Tours demanded that he become their bishop. He became the most celebrated Bishop of the 4th century and one of the great Saints of France. He died in 397.