Acta Sanctorum

Sethrida

10 January · vita
Latin source: Heiligenlexikon
St. Sethrida, a 7th-century English princess, stepdaughter of King Anna of the East Angles, who traveled to Gaul to enter the monastery of Faremoutier (Brie). She and her stepsister St. Ethelburga were both appointed abbess there. The commentary draws on Bede's Ecclesiastical History and Henry of Huntingdon. 7th century

ON ST. SETHRIDA, VIRGIN, ABBESS OF BRIE IN GAUL.

Seventh Century.

Commentary

Sethrida, English virgin in Gaul (S.)

From manuscripts.

[1] Among the most celebrated monasteries is that of St. Phara, which the ancients called Eboriacae, within the forest of Brie -- whence it is also called Brige, commonly Faremoutier -- in the province of Brie in Gaul, in the diocese of Meaux. We shall treat of it more fully either on December 7, at the feast of St. Phara (or Burgundofara), or at her translation on April 3. Here a virgin of royal blood named Sethrida flourished in outstanding holiness of life. The feast of St. Sethrida Ferrarius attests that her feast is celebrated today in these words: "In the territory of Meaux, St. Sethrida, Virgin, Abbess of Brie." Saussay, in his supplement to the Gallican Martyrology: "In the territory of Meaux, at Brie, or Faremoutier, St. Sethrida, virgin, who, being English by nation, traveled to this convent out of zeal for the religious life, and having there made her profession and fulfilled her vow, after a course of angelic life on earth, passed over to the heavenly fellowship of the most holy virgins. The Venerable Bede described her praises."

[2] Bede, in book 3 of his Ecclesiastical History of the English People, chapter 8, records the following about her: "At that time, since not many monasteries had yet been built in the land of the English, many from Britain were accustomed to go to the monasteries of the Franks or of Gaul for the sake of the monastic life, her lineage and to send their daughters to be instructed there and united to the heavenly Bridegroom, especially to the monasteries of Brie, of Chelles, and of Andelys. Among these was Sethrida, stepdaughter of Anna, King of the East Angles, whom we have mentioned above, and Ethelburga, the natural daughter of the same king. Both, although foreigners, were appointed Abbess of the same monastery of Brie on account of the merit of their virtues." So he writes. She had been sent into Gaul by King Anna himself together with her stepsister, as may be gathered from Henry of Huntingdon, who writes thus in book 3 of his histories: "His younger daughter Ethelburga, and the daughter of his wife, Sethrida, King Anna sent to the monastery of Brie to serve the Lord. Both, though foreigners, were made Abbess of Brie on the merit of their virtues. Her religious life For at that time the nobles of England used to send their daughters to be instructed at Brie, and at Chelles, and at the monastery of Andelys. Eorcenberht also sent his daughter Eorcengota to Brie, a holy and illustrious virgin of Christ, whose works of virtue and signs of miracles are still told to this day by the inhabitants of that place."

[3] Nicholas Harpsfield also mentions Sethrida in century 7, chapter 17, and calls her Sedrido; but what he makes her mother -- stepmother to Ethelburga -- we do not accept. For she was St. Hereswitha, sister of St. Hilda, niece of St. Edwin, King and Martyr: first married to another man, to whom she bore Sethrida. After his death, she was joined to Anna, King of the East Angles, to whom she bore St. Sexburga, St. Etheldreda, St. Ethelburga, St. Withburga, King Aldwulf, and St. Jurmin. When Anna was killed by Penda, the most cruel king of the Mercians, in the year of Christ 654, she went to Gaul and spent the remainder of her life most holily in the monastery of Chelles, and is venerated on September 23. St. Hilda is celebrated on November 17; St. Sexburga on July 6; St. Etheldreda on June 23; St. Ethelburga on July 7; St. Withburga on March 17; St. Edwin on October 12.

[4] Since Sethrida was sent into Gaul by King Anna himself, who fell in 654, from this a conjecture about her age can be made. Whether she herself governed the monastery before Ethelburga, her age who was younger, or not, is uncertain. The English Martyrology implies that Sethrida succeeded her sister; her governance but it errs in calling her also a daughter of King Anna. Claudius Robert, in his Gallia Christiana, says that St. Ethelburga succeeded St. Phara in the governance of the monastery, making no mention of Sethrida; but he incorrectly states that she was the daughter of the King of the East Saxons. He meant to write East Angles. Both underwent their novitiate of the religious life under the discipline of St. Phara.