Portal:Catholicism/Patron Archive/February 29

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Saint Oswald of Worcester (died February 29, 992) was Archbishop of York from 972 to his death in 992.

Of Danish parentage, Oswald was brought up by his uncle Odo, Archbishop of Canterbury, and was also related to Oskytel who was archbishop of York before him. For some time he was dean of the house of the secular canons at Winchester, but led by the desire of a stricter life he was sent by his uncle to France and entered the Monastery of Fleury about 950.

Oswald returned to England in 958 and turned to Oskytel who had become Archbishop of York shortly before. Oswald took an active part in ecclesiastical affairs at York until St. Dunstan procured his appointment to the See of Worcester. He was consecrated as Bishop of Worcester in 961. Soon after his consecration, he persuaded Germanus to come back to England and gave him a small religious community to run near Westbury-on-Trym. He was offered the site of Ramsey in Huntingdonshire by Aethelwine, son of Æthelstan Half-King, and Oswald established a monastery there about 971 that attracted most of the members of the community at Westbury. This foundation at Ramsey went on to become Ramsey Abbey.

Oswald was an ardent supporter of Dunstan and Æthelwold, Bishop of Winchester, in their efforts to purify the Church from secularism. Aided by King Edgar, he took a prominent part in the revival of monastic discipline along the precepts of Benedictine Rule. It was Oswald who changed the cathedral chapter of Worcester from priests to monks. Oswald also founded Winchcombe Abbey, and other monasteries founded under his control included Westbury Abbey, Pershore Abbey, and Evesham Abbey.

In 972 Oswald was made Archbishop of York. He continued to hold the see of Worcester in addition to York.

Oswald died on February 29, 992 in the act of washing the feet of the poor at Worcester, as was his daily custom during Lent, and was buried in the Church of Saint Mary at Worcester.
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