The Lives of the Saints, Volume II (of 16): February

February 29

S. OSWALD, ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, a. d. 992.

S. OSWALD, ARCHB. OF YORK

(A.D. 992.)

[Wilson's Anglican Martyrology, and those of Wyon, Menardus, and Morolycus. But Molanus on October 15th. Authorities: – His life by Eadmer; also Florence of Worcester, William of Malmesbury, and the Ramsey Chronicle.]

OSWALD, the only saint commemorated on Feb. 29th, was the nephew of S. Odo, archbishop of Canterbury, and of Osketill, bishop, first of Dorchester, and afterwards of York. He was educated by S. Odo, and made first canon and then dean of Winchester, but he took the monastic habit in the abbey of Fleury, in France, and was recalled by S. Odo to England, where he found favour with S. Dunstan, who commended him to king Edgar, and, by his command, he was chosen bishop of Worcester, about the year 959. One of his first acts was to establish twelve monks at Westbury, in his diocese. He afterwards built Ramsey monastery, on an island in Ramsey Mere, given to the Order of S. Benedict by Earl Hilwyn, cousin of king Edgar, who had been cured of gout by an apparition of the patriarch of western monks. S. Dunstan, as is well known, laboured diligently to enforce celibacy on the clergy in England. A council was held in 969, in which the clergy were ordered to live single or to resign their cures, and Oswald of Worcester, and Ethelwold of Winchester, were commissioned to enforce this decree. Oswald was afterwards made archbishop of York, without resigning the see of Worcester. He had established a Benedictine monastery, dedicated to the Mother of God, at Worcester, and the monastic church from that time became the Cathedral.

It was his wont to wash every day the feet of twelve poor men, whom he afterwards fed. On the Tuesday after the third Sunday in Lent, Feb. 29th, he was performing this duty as usual. After he had wiped the feet of the last poor man, and had stooped to kiss them, he said "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost," and gently expired.

He died, and was buried at Worcester. Ten years after, his remains were taken up by his successor, Adulph, and translated to York, on October 15th. It is said that when his body was taken into Worcester Abbey Church, after his death, a white dove hovered above it. His purple and gold stole was preserved in Beverley Minster, in the time of Thomas Stubbs, who mentions the fact in his account of the Archbishops of York.