54. SAINTS ETHELFLEDA AND MORWENNA, ABBESSES OF ROMSEY

During the reign of King Edgar the Peaceable, there was a certain nobleman by the name of Aethelwold who was in particular favour with the king on account of his virtue. So he gave to him in marriage a beautiful lady related to his wife, Queen Elfrida, by the name of Brichgiva. This couple had several children; and before the birth of her last daughter Brichgiva saw in a dream a ray of glorious sunlight break out above her head – a sign that she would give birth to a child of light. In due time she gave birth to a daughter who was baptized with the name of Ethelfleda (Elfleda).

As she increased in years, Ethelfleda increased also in holiness. Noticing this, on the death of her father King Edgar gave her into the hands of Abbess Merwinna of Romsey. Merwinna was the first abbess of Romsey after its refounding in 967. She brought up Ethelfleda as her own daughter, and always kept her in attendance. And the holy daughter followed the holy mother in all things: generous in almsgiving, constant in vigils, humble in mind, joyful in countenance, and kind to the poor. Indeed, she loved the poor so much that when others were not looking she would hide the food she was given in the refectory in her sleeves and then secretly give it them.

She was particularly constant in attending the canonical hours in church, and would not be prevented from this even by illness. Once, when it was her turn to read, she received the blessing and went up to the pulpit. But by Divine Providence her light was extinguished, while the fingers of her right hand gave out a wonderful brilliance with which she was able to read easily.

It happened once that her teacher went into a plantation of saplings which was near the house where Ethelfleda with the rest of the young girls was accustomed to study. The teacher cut some saplings with which to beat the girls, and hid them under her clothes. But Ethelfleda saw what she was doing, even though a stone wall separated them. Scarcely had the teacher crossed the threshold as she was returning from the house than the saint cast herself at her feet with tears, saying:

«Don't beat us with switches. Why do you beat us when we gladly carry out your commands?»

«Get up,» said the teacher, «and show me how you know that I have brought some switches.»

«I saw you under the tree,» said the saint, «and you are still holding them under your cloak.»

Now Ethelfleda had the custom of leaving the dormitory every night and secretly immersing herself in the cold water of a stream, praying and chanting psalms. One night the queen, who as protectress of all the English convents was visiting Romsey, and who used to keep the saint in her chamber, saw her leaving to practise her customary asceticism. Following her, she saw her make the sign of the cross and spring into the water. The queen screamed loudly and fell to the ground as if she were out of her mind. Ethelfleda prostrated herself to the ground weeping and praying, until the queen was restored to health.

In 993, the pagan Danes burned Romsey Abbey and drove out the nuns. However, Abbess Elwina was warned in a vision about the impending disaster, and so was able to carry the abbey's valuables to safety.

In about the year 1003, St. Ethelfleda became abbess, and immediately gave all the convent's money to the poor. When the bailiffs came to examine the accounts, they found all the money gone. But then the saint prayed, and lo! the coffers which had previously been empty were found to be miraculously full.

St. Ethelfleda reposed in the Lord on October 23 in about the year 1016. She was buried outside the church, as she had directed. But when miracles multiplied at her tomb, she was translated into the church, together with St. Merwinna, on October 29. This day then became the day of their joint commemoration.

Holy Mothers Merwinna and Ethelfleda, pray to God for us!

(Sources: A fourteenth-century chronicle in H. Liveing, Records of Romsey Abbey, 1906; Rev. David Shearlock, Romsey Abbey, p. 7; David Farmer, The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1978, p. 139)