St Hilda of Whitby

Because her feast day is on my birthday, I always take joy in her remembrance on this day. She encouraged a young poet to sing his songs, and her spirit of encouragement, her "grace-of-being," calls out even today. ~ CK

Image of St. Hilda
from Caedmon's Cross

For Hilda of Whitby

In a simpler time

Of kingdoms and and fiefdoms

When liege lords and princes
Set their boundaries across the land,

Killing one another for the right to rule,

A lady arose

Who called for a higher vision.

She established at Whitby

A spiritual path,

A community of grace

For both men and women

Who sought love and life

Rather than power and death.

Learning was foremost

In a setting where

The arts

The sciences

And sacred texts

Were all studied

And held in high esteem.

Hilda became advisor to kings,

Counselor to bishops,

Encourager of poets,

Mediator in religious controversy.

King Edwin

Bishop Wilfrid

Caedmon

The Synod of Whitby

All give her thanks.

Honored as a saint
By Rome and Canterbury alike,

Followers of Celtic spirituality

Pay their respect

To the Abbess of Whitby.

The hildoceras ammonite*,

Named for the saint from Yorkshire

Connects her name

To eons past.

Thus her grace-of-being

Extends to both past and present

As Hilda of Whitby

Is remembered on this day.

The ruins of the present abbey reputably near the site where Hilda had her first monastery Streonashalh on the headland at Whitby. The present ruins are from an abbey built by the Norman knight Reinfrid in 1070s which was rebuilt in 1220s. (From the Parish Church of St. Wilfrid website)

Hildoceras Bifrons ammonite
Early Jurassic Period

*From Wikipedia: The genus name has been given the name Hildoceras in honour of St. Hilda of Whitby (614-680 AD). Legend has it that this lady was required to found an abbey on the cliffs above Whitby, in the north of England. Finding the site to be infested by snakes (a devilish omen), she prayed to the Lord and the snakes coiled up and were turned to stone. She picked them up and threw them over the cliff, and that is why there are so many ammonite fossils in the rocks below the abbey. The specific name bifrons comes from Bifron, a demon, another name for the Roman god, Janus

For Further Reading: 

• The Journal of Antiquities: Caedmon’s Cross, Whitby, North Yorkshire
• Our Saints and Martyrs: Northern Saints, Saints & Martyrs of our Diocese
• Anglican History Blog: Hilda of Whitby
• St. Wilfrid Church website: St. Hilda

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