Osgyth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Osgyth |
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An illuminated capital commencing the anonymous La Vie seinte Osith, virge e martire (Campsey Manuscript, British Library Additional Ms 70513, fol. 134v)
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| Born | Quarrendon, now in Buckinghamshire |
| Died | 700 AD |
| Venerated in | |
| Canonized | Pre-congregation |
| Feast | 7 October |
| Attributes | Depicted as a cephalophore; or represented with a stag behind her, a long key hanging from her girdle; or otherwise carrying a key and a sword crossed[dubious]] ] |
Osgyth (also known as Osyth) was an English noblewoman and a leader of a religious community called a priory. She died around 700 AD. People have honored her as a saint since the 700s, soon after her death. She is mostly remembered in the village of St Osyth, in Essex, near Colchester. You might also see her name spelled Sythe, Othith, or Ositha. She came from a powerful family, became a nun, and started a priory (a type of monastery) that was later named after her.
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Her Early Life and Choices
Osgyth was born in Quarrendon, Buckinghamshire. At that time, this area was part of Mercia, an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom. Her father was Frithuwald, a "sub-king" of Mercia in Surrey. This means he was a ruler under the main king. Her mother, Wilburh, was from Mercia's royal family. In 675 AD, her parents, along with Saint Erconwald, helped to start Chertsey Abbey.
Osgyth was raised by her mother's sisters, St Edith of Aylesbury and Edburga of Bicester. She really wanted to become an abbess, which is the head of a nunnery. However, she was too important for political reasons to be allowed to become a nun easily. Her father made her enter a "dynastic marriage" with Sighere, who was the King of Essex. A dynastic marriage is one arranged for political power or to join important families, not for love. It is thought that she might be the mother of Offa of Essex, but this is not certain.
While her husband was away on a long hunting trip, Osgyth convinced two local bishops to let her take vows as a nun. When King Sighere returned days later, he was sad but agreed to her decision. He gave her some land at Chich near Colchester. There, she built a convent and became its first abbess. Later, she was attacked by some raiding pirates and was beheaded. Some believe this happened because she fought back against being taken away.
Amazing Legends of Saint Osgyth
Many stories and legends grew around Saint Osgyth. One tale says that Saint Edith sent Osgyth to deliver a book to Saint Modwenna of Northumbria. To get there, Osgyth had to cross a stream. The stream was high, and the wind was strong. Osgyth fell into the water and drowned. No one noticed she was missing for two days. Edith thought Osgyth was safe with Modwenna, who wasn't expecting her.
On the third day, Edith wondered why Osgyth hadn't returned. She went to Modwenna. Both abbesses were very worried when they realized Osgyth was lost. They searched for her and found the child lying near the stream. The abbesses prayed for her to come back to life. They told her to rise from the water and come to them. And she did! A similar story is also found in old Irish saint stories.
Later, some people believed her death by pirates was a martyrdom. A martyr is someone who dies for their beliefs. However, the famous historian Bede did not mention Saint Osgyth in his writings. A writer from the 1200s, Matthew Paris, wrote down some of the legends about her.
One famous legend says that after her execution, Osgyth stood up. Like Saint Denis in Paris, she picked up her own head. She then walked with it in her hands to the door of a local convent before falling down there. Saints who are shown carrying their own heads are called cephalophoric martyrs. Some modern writers connect these stories to old Celtic beliefs about heads.
Honoring Saint Osgyth
People began to honor Saint Osgyth, and her story was spread by Maurice, who was the bishop of London. There was even a special shrine dedicated to her at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
Around 1121, the next bishop, Richard de Belmeis I, started a priory for a group of religious men called canons of Saint Augustine. This priory was built on the same spot where Osgyth's nunnery had been at Chich. Bishop Richard got a relic (a holy item, in this case, an arm bone) of Saint Osgyth for the church at the monastery. He was buried in the church in 1127. He left the church and its income to the canons. They chose William de Corbeil as their first abbot or prior. William de Corbeil later became the Archbishop of Canterbury and died in 1136. He also got another arm relic of Saint Osgyth for Canterbury.
Kings, like Henry II, gave many gifts and special rights to the Canons. This made them very wealthy. When the Dissolution of the monasteries happened in 1536, the priory's income was valued at a large amount of money each year. In 1397, the abbot of St Osgyth was given the right to wear a special hat called a mitre. He was also allowed to give a special blessing. Even more unusually, Pope Boniface IX gave him the right to ordain priests. Today, the gatehouse, known as the 'Abbot's Tower', and some other buildings from the priory still stand.
Osgyth's burial place at St. Mary the Virgin, Aylesbury became a very popular place for pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place. However, this was not officially allowed. After a special order from the Pope in 1500, her bones were taken from the church and buried in secret.
But people still remembered her. A writer from the 1600s, John Aubrey, wrote that in those days, when people went to bed, they would rake up the fire. They would make an "X" on the ashes and pray to God and Saint Sythe (Saint Osgyth) to protect them from fire, water, and all bad things. A house in Aylesbury is still called St Osyth's in her honor.
People honored Saint Osyth all across England. In the Middle Ages, Norwich Cathedral and St Albans Abbey had chapels dedicated to her. Her feast day (the day she is remembered) is 7 October. She is often shown in art carrying her own head.
Images for kids
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Gatehouse of the former St Osyth's Priory (later abbey), St Osyth, Essex
