Friday, November 17, 2017

‘St Hilda, Abbess of the English’ (+680)



Holy Hilda, Abbess of the English,
Nobly born, through Paulinus you became
A daughter of Christ the High King,
And the years of your life showed you to be
A true servant of the Holy Trinity:
Three and thirty in secular life,
Three and thirty in monastic life.

But these many threes tell little of your
Holiness.  In Streanaeshalch you lived
The angelic life with sisters many.
Though by your righteousness, peace, and charity
You became the mother of more by far:

Plain folk, kings and æthelings, bishops, priests,
Holy men and women, all those near and far,
Were blessed by your wisdom and way of life.
In sickness, too, you were steadfast in virtue.

Wherefore, you were greeted with radiant light
When the Master’s holy angels came to take
Your pure soul to her heavenly abode.
Your life, Mama, indeed is full of light.
Such was the vision seen by Breguswith,
Thine own dear mother, who from beneath
Her clothing brought forth such a shining jewel
That all England was lit by its brilliance.

Holy Mother Hilda, the South lies
In twilight dusk, fading fast to darkness.
Illumine us, shed divine Grace upon us,
Pour Christ-fire into our cold, stony hearts,
Till the Southland, too, is filled with holy Light.


Holy icon from http://orthodoxengland.org.uk/hilda.htm, 17 Nov. 2017

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Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are!

Anathema to the Union!

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