62. SAINT HILDA, ABBESS OFWHITBY
Our holy Mother Hilda was born in the year 614, being the daughter of Hereric, a nephew of the Martyr-King Edwin of Northumbria. She was baptized together with St. Edwin by St. Paulinus.
When her parents were living in exile in the British kingdom of Elmet (North Yorkshire), her mother Bregusit had a dream in which, as the Venerable Bede recounts it, «she was seeking for [her husband] most diligently, and could find no sign of him anywhere. But, after having used all her industry to find him, she found a most precious jewel under her garment, which, whilst she was looking on it very attentively, cast such a light as spread itself throughout all Britain; which dream was brought to pass in her daughter.., whose life was a bright example, not only to herself, but to all who desired to live well.»
At the age of 33 Hilda decided to become a nun in the monastery of Chelles in France, where her sister Heresuid, mother of King Aldwulf of East Anglia, was struggling. After a year in France, she was called back to Northumbria by St. Aidan, bishop of Lindisfarne, and given a small plot of land on the north bank of the River Wear, where she struggled in asceticism with a few companions until she was called to replace Heiu as abbess of Harlepool. There she organized a regular system of monastic life based on the Rule of the Irish saint, Columbanus of Luxeuil, and was instructed by St. Aidan and other men of God.
In the year 657 St. Hilda founded the double monastery of Whitby in North Yorkshire, which soon became one of the greatest monasteries in England, being renowned for its strict life and high standard of education in the Holy Scriptures. No less than five holy bishops – Bosa, Hedda, Oftfor, John and Wilfrid – were trained there. She was affectionately and respectfully known as «Mother» by all. It was during her abbacy that the famous monk Caedmon lived in the men's monastery. After a heavenly visitor came to him during his sleep, he was able to compose wonderful religious poems in the English language; and he has been called the father of English poetry.
In the year 663 St. Hilda hosted the famous Synod of Whitby, which brought an end to the calendar schism between the Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Churches in England. At first, she supported the Celts under whom she had been trained. But later she accepted the Synod's decision to adopt the Roman-Byzantine Paschalion.
During the last six years of her life, St. Hilda suffered from a chronic illness. At dawn on November 17, 680, having partaken of the Holy Mysteries and admonished her spiritual children to have peace among themselves, she joyfully reposed in the Lord. At the same time a nun called Begu, living in the monastery of Hackness, which was about thirteen miles away, suddenly woke up at the sound of a bell, saw the top of the house open, and a strong light pour in from above. Looking earnestly
at the light, she saw the soul of St. Hilda rising to heaven in the company of angels. When she told the abbess, Frigyth, about her vision, the abbess assembled all the sisters in the church to pray for the soul of the saint. And so when the monks came from Whitby to tell them the news, they were able to tell them that they already knew.
Already early in the eighth century St. Hildás name is found on the Calendar of St. Willibrord, and her veneration was always strong in the North of England. Whitby was sacked by the Danes in about the year 800. St. Hildás relics were translated to Glastonbury under King Edmund (946), but Gloucester also claimed them.
St. Hilda is commemorated on November 17.
Holy Mother Hilda, pray to God for us!
(Sources: The Venerable Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, IV, 23; David Farmer, The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1978, pp. 192–93)