9. SAINT AETHELWEALD, HERMIT OF FARNE
Our holy Father Aethelweald (Ethilwald) was a monk and priest of Ripon monastery, who succeeded the great St. Cuthbert in the Inner Farne hermitage in 687. The future Abbot Guthfrid of Lindisfarne related the following miracle worked by him:
«I came to the island of Farne, with two others of the brethren, to speak with the most reverend father, Ethilwald. Having been refreshed with his discourse, and taken his blessing, as we were returning home, suddenly, when we were caught in the midst of the sea, the fair weather which was wafting over us was checked, and there ensued so great and dismal a tempest, that neither the sails nor oars were of any use to us, nor had we anything to expect but death. After long struggling with the wind and waves to no effect, we looked behind us to see whether it was practicable at least to recover the island from whence we came, but we found ourselves on all sides so enveloped by the storm, that there was no hope of escaping. But looking out as far as we could see, we observed, on the island of Farne, Father Ethilwald, beloved of God, come out of his cavern to watch our course; for, hearing the noise of the storm and raging sea, he was come out to see what would become of us. When he beheld us in distress and despair, he bowed his knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in prayer for our life and safety; upon which the swelling sea was calmed, so that the storm ceased on all sides, and a fair wind attended us to the very shore. When we had landed, and had dragged upon the shore the small vessel that brought us, the storm, which had ceased a short time for our sake, immediately returned, and raged continally during the whole day; so that it plainly appeared that the brief cessation of the storm had been granted from Heaven at the request of the man of God, in order that we might escape.»
St. Ethilwald died on March 23, 699, and his name was immediately inscribed in the Calendar ofWillibrord under April 21. He was buried in Lindisfarne next to the holy bishops, and shared their wanderings in the coming years. Florence of Worcester reported many miracles due to his intercession.
(Sources: Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, V, 1; David Farmer, The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1978, p. 142)