Alfrida

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saint Alfrida
Born	unknown, England
Died	795, Crowland, England
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Feast
Saints Portal

Alfrida is a saint, venerated in the Roman Catholic Church, as a virgin, and recluse, died c. 795. This saint, whose name is variously written Elfthritha, Ælfleda, Æfthryth, Alfritha, Etheldreda, etc., was a daughter of King Offa of Mercia. According to a late and not very trustworthy legend she was betrothed to Saint Æthelberht, but when he came to the court of Offa to claim her, he was treacherously murdered by the contrivance of Cynethryth, Offa's queen. After this Alfrida retired to the marshes of Crowland, where she was built into a cell and lived as a recluse to the end of her days. It is impossible not to suspect the existence of some confusion with Ælfleda, another daughter of Offa, whose husband was also murdered by treachery.

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.