Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester
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St. Wulfstan (sometimes St. Wulfstan II, also known as Wolstan, Wulstan and Ulfstan), Bishop of Worcester, is a Christian saint.
His denomination as Wulfstan II is to denote that he is the second Bishop Wulfstan of Worcester. That does not help, however, since the first Bishop Wulfstan is also called Wulfstan II to denote that he was the second Archbishop of York called Wulfstan. To make matters worse, Wulfstan II, Archbishop of York is the mother's brother of Wulfstan II, Bishop of Worcester.
Wulfstan was born in 1008 at Long-Itchington, Warwickshire, England. He was probably named after his uncle, Wulfstan II, Archbishop of York. Through his uncle's influence, he studied at monasteries in Evesham and Peterborough, before becoming a clerk at Worcester. During this time, his superiors, noting his reputation for dedication and chastity, urged him to join the priesthood. Wulfstan was ordained shortly thereafter, in 1038, and soon joined a monastery of Benedictines at Worcester.
After serving as treasurer and then prior of his monastery, Wulfstan was named Bishop of Worcester on September 8, 1062.
Most remarkable is that, after the Norman conquest, Wulfstan was the lone bishop to be kept in his post by William the Conqueror. Something of a social reformer, Wulfstan struggled to bridge the gap between the old and new regimes, and to alleviate the suffering of the poor.
In 1075, Wulfstan and the Worcestershire levy put down the rebellion of Ralph de Gauder, Earl of Norfolk, Roger FitzOsbern, Earl of Hereford and the Saxon Waltheof known as 'The Bridal of Norwich' against William the Conqueror.
He is responsible for the founding of Great Malvern Priory, and undertook much large scale rebuilding work including Worcester Cathedral, Hereford Cathedral, Tewkesbury Abbey, and many other churches in the Worcester, Hereford and Gloucester areas.
Wulfstan died in 1095, allegedly while engaged in his daily ritual of washing of the feet of a dozen poor men. After his death, he had an altar dedicated to him in Great Malvern Priory alongside Cantilupe of Hereford and King Edward the Confessor.
In Easter of 1158, Henry II and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine visited Worcester Cathedral and placed their crowns on the shrine of Wulfstan, vowing not to wear them again.
Wulfstan was canonized in 1203 by Pope Innocent III.
References
- Emma Mason: St.Wulfstan of Worcester, 1008-95