88. SAINTS SIDWELL AND JUTHWARA, VIRGIN-MARTYRS OF EXETER

These martyrs were sisters in the flesh, and since their lives are very similar it is sometimes thought that they are one and the same person. However, the balance of evidence appears to support the traditional belief that they were distinct persons.

St. Sidwell (Sativola) was born at Exeter, and was killed by her stepmother, who incited the reapers in the fields to behead her with a scythe and throw her head into a well. She was buried outside the east gate of the city (the church dedicated to her still survives), and many miracles of healing took place through her intercession during Orthodox times. There is a holy well next to her church.

St. Juthwara (Aude) was the sister of St. Sidwell, St. Wulvela of Cornwall and St. Paul Aurelian, bishop of Leon of Britanny. She was a pious virgin devoted to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. After her father's death she grew pale as wax, and when her stepmother asked her the cause, she replied that she was suffering from a pain in her chest. Her stepmother recommended that she apply two cheeses to her breasts to ease the pain. Then she told her son Bana that Juthwara was pregnant, adding as proof that if he felt the space between her breasts it would be damp from milk coming from her breasts. He accused her, found that the space between her breasts was damp, flew into a rage and cut off her head with his sword.

According to the Breton version of the story, Juthwara had stuffed her bosom with milk-curds to give to the poor, and when she was beheaded she took up her head, walked to the hall, put her head on again, reproached her brother, and immediately died. Then the brother, whose name was Gurguy, went to his brother, St. Paul, at Leon, and was told by him to do penance by retiring into the forest near Landerneau, and there fast and pray for forty days. The penance accomplished, Gurguy returned to St. Paul, who admitted him as a monk to his monastery, and finally sent him to be superior of a cell he had established at Gerber, afterwards called Le Relecqu, and changed his name to Tanguy. We know that St. Paul established a monastery at Gerber in about 560.

A fountain and an oak sprang up at the place of her martyrdom. After many years the tree was overthrown by a gale, and fell against a house that was near, so that the branches prevented people going in and out. The owner of the house and his boy set to work to hack the boughs away, when the stump, relieved of the burden, righted itself, and carried up the boy who was clinging to an uncut branch.

In about the year 1050, Bishop Aelfwold of Sherborne, in response to many signs and revelations, translated the relics of St. Juthwara from Halstock to Sherborne, where they were placed next to those of St. Wulsin, bishop of Sherborne, which were translated at the same time. There, through the intercession of the two saints, many miracles took place.

One of the brothers of the monastery had been violently shaken for nearly half a year by bouts of fever, which came, first every two days, and then daily. He hated all food, and had to be dragged to meals as if to torture. On the day of the solemn translation of the relics of St. Juthwara, he wanted to sing in the choir behind the procession, but was suddenly seized with trembling and pallor. Reluctantly, he began to move back as if to captivity. But the other brothers, mindful of the grace of the saints, gave him to drink from the water which had washed their bones. He was completely healed. Others suffering from fevers were also healed by drinking the holy water.

A married woman lay as if dead for three days. She was deaf and dumb, immobile as a stone, her eyes staring blankly in front of her, pupils and eyelids motionless. She gave no sign to those who called to her, and if carried her head and other limbs would fall if not supported. Everyone was expecting her death, and the only talk was of her burial. On the third day her son, who was a monk brought up in the piety of the saints, came to see his parents, wishing to comfort the one and cure the other. But human wisdom saw no hope of a cure. Mindful, however, of the virtues of his native saints, he returned to the monastery and sent her some of the above-mentioned water. Immediately some of it was poured down her throat, she came to as if from sleep, moved her eyes, sat up, and eagerly drank the rest of the draught. Soon she was on her feet. Then all their friends who had been mourning the woman without hope rejoiced with her husband as if she had come back from the dead.

There was a well-known priest named Wulfric, who had been taught and ordained by Bishop Aelfwold. A serious illness brought him to receive the sacrament of Holy Unction, when, mindful of the virtues of the Virgin-Martyr Juthwara, he sent a boy to Sherborne, saying:

«Ask the brethren to dip the relics of St. Juthwara, who was translated thither by Bishop Aelfwold, into some water, and to send it to me to drink. For I believe that I shall receive life and my former health through it.»

The messenger went and came back with the water. When Wulfric drank, he was immediately cured.

St. Sidwell is commemorated on August 1, and St. Juthwara on November 28.

Holy Virgin-Martyrs Sidwell and Juthwara, pray to God for us!

(Sources: S. Baring-Gould and J. Fisher, The Lives of the British Saints, 1907–13, volume 1, pp. 185–188, vol. 4, pp. 174–176; David Farmer, The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, Clarendon Press, 1978, pp. 230, 356–357; C.H. Talbot, «The Life of St. Wulsin of Sherborne by Goscelin», Revue Benedictine, lxix (1959), 82–85)