St. Edith of Wilton

St. Edith of Wilton – September 16th

Edith was the daughter of the English King, Edgar. She was taken by her good mother to a convent, there to be brought up and educated. When she was not yet fifteen, her father the king, came to visit her. It was the day she was to become a professed as a nun, but he wanted to see is she really knew what she was doing. In front of the altar, therefore, he ordered rich gold and silver jewels to be laid down on a carpet. Nearby, Edith’s mother stood holding a nun’s veil and the book of psalms. The young girl had to make her choice while all present prayed to God to show her what life to choose. Yet no one was surprised when Edith chose religious life, for they knew how much she loved God.

St. Edith could have become the Abbess of any one of three convents, but she chose to stay in the convent where her holy mother was the Superior. There she served her sisters without any thought that she was a princess. When her father and brother died, the nobles wanted Edith to leave the convent and become their queen, but she again chose to keep living in humble work and obedience rather than wear a crown.

The Saint died a joyful death when she was only twenty-two.

Let us say this little prayer, “Dear Lord, I offer myself to You. Do with me what You wish.”