St. Wulstan

Saint Wulstan of Worcester

Bishop & Confessor

Wulstan was born in Warwickshire in the early eleventh century, to a mother and father who later agreed to separate and take religious vows. Wulstan himself was devoted to abstinence in all matters from an early age, having thrown himself into a thicket at his first temptation to lust, and given up meat for life after the smell of a roast distracted him during Mass. Wulstan studied for the priesthood at Worcester, and went on to serve in several offices at the Benedictine abbey there. A deeply humble man, he was reluctant to accept the office of Bishop of Worcester, but he was nonetheless consecrated such in the year of Our Lord 1062, and he still governed that see when the Normans conquered England in 1066. He was the only English-born bishop to retain his see long after the conquest, owing to a miracle, much like that of the Sword in the Stone, involving his bishop’s crozier and a statue of King St. Edward the Confessor, who held the English throne when Wulstan received the mitre. He counseled rebellious Englishmen to bear the Norman yoke with humility as a chastisement, and lived in such a saintly manner himself until his death in 1095.

Traditional Roman Martyrology for January 19th

AT Rome, on the Cornelian road, the holy martyrs Marius and his wife Martha, with their sons Audifax and Abachum, noble Persians, who came to Rome, through devotion, in the time of the Emperor Claudius. After they had been beaten with rods, tortured on the rack and with fire, lacerated with iron hooks, and had endured the cutting off of their hands, Martha was put to death in the place called Nympha. The others were beheaded and cast into the flames.

Also, St. Canute, king and martyr, whose birthday [into heaven] is the 7th of this month.

At Smyrna, under Marcus Antoninus and Lucius Aurelius, the birthday of blessed Germanicus, martyr, who, in the bloom of youth, being strengthened by the grace of God, and freed from all fear, provoked the beast which, by order of the judge, was to devour him. Being ground by its teeth, he deserved to be incorporated into the true bread of life, Christ
Jesus, for whom he died.

In Africa, the holy martyrs Paul, Gerontius, Januarius, Saturninus, Successus, Julius, Catus, Pia, and Germana.

At Spoleto, in the days of the emperor Antoninus, the passion of St. Pontian, martyr, who was barbarously scourged for Christ by the command of the judge Fabian, and then compelled to walk barefoot on burning coals. As he was uninjured by the fire, he was put on the rack, was torn with iron hooks, and then thrown into a dungeon, where he was comforted by the visit of an angel. He was afterwards exposed to the lions, had melted lead poured over him and finally died by the sword.

At Lodi, St. Bassian, bishop and confessor, who, in conjunction with St. Ambrose, courageously combated the heretics.

At Worcester, in England, St. Wulstan, bishop and confessor, conspicuous for merits and miracles. He was ranked among the Saints by Innocent III.

℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

℟. Thanks be to God.