St. Ethelreda (Audrey)
Died: 679
Around 640, there was an English princess named Ethelreda, but she was known as Audrey. She married once, but was widowed after three years, and it was said that the marriage was never consummated. She had taken a perpetual vow of virginity, but married again, this time for reasons of state. Her young husband soon grew tired of living as brother and sister and began to make advances on her. She continually refused. He eventually attempted to bribe the local bishop, Saint Wilfrid of York, to release Audrey from her vows.
Saint Wilfrid refused, and helped Audrey escape. She fled south, with her husband following. They reached a promontory known as Colbert's Head, where a heaven sent seven day high tide separated the two. Eventually, Audrey's husband left and married someone more willing, while Audrey took the veil, and founded the great abbey of Ely, where she lived an austere life. She eventually died of an enormous and unsightly tumor on her neck, which she gratefully accepted as Divine retribution for all the necklaces she had worn in her early years. Throughout the Middle Ages, a festival, "St. Audrey's Fair", was held at Ely on her feast day. The exceptional shodiness of the merchandise, especially the neckerchiefs, contributed to the English language the word "tawdry", a corruption of "Saint Audrey."
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can someone sum this up for me because i love this name and i want it to be me name but i dont get it
I am wearing a St Audrey medal because she is the saint to pray to if you suffer from neck pain. I wear her medal every day. It reminds me to relax my neck muscles, and also to meditate as a way to lower my pain. When my pain gets very bad, I reach up and touch my St Audrey medal, take a deep breath, and say to myself "St Audrey pray for me"
Oh! How cool! I'm doing a saint project and needed to choose a saint, and lookie here! A saint with a great story and my name! YAY!
i don't get this saint to much, I'm trying to pick saint names for my conformation and i like this name a lot! but i don't really know if she did anything special. because I'm sapose to have a resin why i picked this saint. if someone could sum up a little bit about her that would be very helpful. thanks!
Audrey is a wonderful name and have named my daughter the same
Bob,
In the old days there was no canonization process. Local devotees of a person whom they regarded as holy sprang up. There were no Vatican certified miracles. Such "canonization" was from the bottom up, not top down.The common people began the process.Some of the stories are probably legend embellished by additions to make the cult more attractive.In a process like this there were some errors, that's why today we have a more formal process.Still,we should respect our ancestors in faith as they were on the scene, so to speak. St Audray pray for us!!
i would love to visit this abby elly,i have alot of audreys in my family,i find this saint open to alot of questions unanswered,good debates conversation pieace never heard much about her would like toyoursyou know a lot more like where is she buried.
Bob- you know how you asked why does she go by Audrey well if you would look more into her you will find out why. i could tell you everything that i know cause i ahve looked, but it is up to you to find out. the only reason why i looked her up for one she is my saint and my mom and dad got married in her church and my middle name is Audrey after her. so who every thinks that she is not a good person she really is and i will say that.
Thank you St. Audrey for your invaluable intercession, helping me with my university choices! Thank you God, Amen.
Bob - a marriage that isn't consummated is immediate grounds for an annulment. Also, perhaps her second husband agreed to her perpetual vow but then changed his mind - then he shouldn't have married her in the first place. I would say St. Audrey (a derivative of Ethelreda like Jennifer is a derivative of Guenevere) shouldn't have been made to marry in the first place. There are plenty of Roman virgin saints that took vows of chastity. I do agree the bit about the giant tumor being punishment for wearing too many necklaces is a little silly - perhaps it was said tounge and cheek. In any case - saints aren't perfect - never were never will be. She is a saint because of her love and commitment to God. If her charism isn't for you - then don't sweat it. Find another saint. Also, those were different times. Sometimes the thinking of past times is a little hard to grasp.
Okay, now this is rather confusing: Was her name Etherelda or Audrey? Why would she be 'called' Audrey, if her name since birth was Etherelda? What did the word 'audrey' mean, if that was a 'nickname' given to her at some point? What did she do in her life to merit cannonized sainthood? Surely the "heaven-sent seven day high tide" wasn't enough of a miracle to merit canonization. I have heard that divorce back then was grounds for excommunication; why wasn't she excommunicated for effectively divorcing her second husband? Why would she have been allowed to make a vow of virginity in the first place? Marriage was supposed to be one of the higest kinds of 'catholic' 'sacrement' and especially among royals, was supposed to be for the purpose of parentage, or more precisely, inheritance.
And, why "St. Audrey" over "St. Etherelda", since that was her real name?
This appears to be a story more of great controversey and disobedience to the Catholic version of God's will, than of heroism or anything else; why would the Vatican even WANT to promote her story in this way, much less canonize her for her willful disobedience?
In other words, this article produces many more questions than the answers it attempts to provide. What could be the official reasons why so much of "St. Etherelda's" story has been so obviously and blatently left out (of this page's version of her story, anyway)?
You obviously shouldnt be commenting on this page bonk. It was her choice for our lord, and its an inspiring story. I dont mind your beliefs, but hate on Saints.
There's nothing wrong with having a good shag in wedlock you know!!! Her poor husband!!!
This is definitely my Confirmation Saint!!
i love this website, at the end of this year, i will be receiving confirmation and this website is helping me find info for my report!
i like her might be my confirmation name