25 August St Ebba, Abbess of Coldingham. She was the sister of Oswald
and fled with him to Scotland at the death of their father. She returned to
Northumbria when Oswald was king and established a monastery at
Ebchester and another at ‘Urbs Coludi’= Kirk Hill at St Abb’s Head near
Eyemouth, which evolved into Coldingham, one of the largest monasteries in
the North. It was both for men and women, the monks and nuns were first
generation Christians from noble families and said to be undisciplined, so
that St Cuthbert visited to instruct them. Aetheldreda, founder of Ely
Cathedral, was educated there. Ebba was a skilled politician , negotiating
on behalf of the king and the Bishop Wilfrid. Not long after her death the
monastery burnt down, and the site was abandoned, but Kirk Hill remained a
pilgrim site. Ebba was said to be one of the many light in the dark ages, a
Northern Saint who converted Northern Britain to Christianity. The Episcopal
Church at Eyemouth is dedicated to St Ebba.
Brigitte Williams
Shame on you Rev!
It has come to my knowledge that the Rev Lesley-ann was making none too
subtle enquiries about the identity of the devout atheist and occasional StOM
columnist who writes under the nom de plume of Anon.
Offering observations ranging from the positive to the cautiously concerned
– with the potential to get to the appalled – the Rev offered a place in the
congregation, should this lost sheep be inclined to return to the fold.
Perhaps, however, it should not be entirely dismissed out of hand given the
serendipitous disclosure by Brigitte in the previous pages that the subversive
author shares his birthday with St Oswald’s Saint’s day!
Spooky, or what?
Anon
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