Dr. John (Ellsworth) Hutchison-Hall

Eastern Orthodox Christian theologian, historian, philosopher, and cultural commentator.

            

Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism See of Rome

Orthodox Christian Icon of English Saint, St. Æthelthryth of Ely

Icon of St. Æthelthryth of Ely

ÆTHELTHRYTH (ETHELDREDA, AUDREY, ETHELDRED) of ELY, St. Æthelthryth (often known by the diminutive Audrey) was an East Anglian princess, a Northumbrian queen, and the founder and first Abbess of the double monastery at Ely in Cambridgeshire, England. The daughter of the Christian Anna, King of the East Angles (r. 635/6–c. 654), she was married while still young to Tondberht, prince of the South Gyrvians, though she remained a virgin. Upon his death three years later, St. Æthelthryth withdrew to the Isle of Ely in Cambridgeshire to live as a hermit. After five years, she was persuaded by her family to return to the world and marry Ecgfrith, King of Northumbria (r. 670–685), but she refused to consummate this marriage as well, and after twelve years, St. Æthelthryth obtained Ecgfrith's consent to become a nun. She received monastic tonsure from St. Wilfrid of York (12th October) at Coldingham Abbey circa 672 where her aunt St. Ebba the Elder (25th August) was Abbess. About a year later, St. Æthelthryth founded the double monastery of Ely, serving as its Abbess until her repose in 679.

Troparion of St. Æthelthryth of Ely — Tone III

Let us praise the virgin Æthelthryth,

flame of faith above the church of Ely, Mother Abbess,

intercessor and protector for all.

In her the image of God was restored to shine,

and she was crowned with great glory by our Saviour Christ,

ever praying in the Spirit before the Father's throne that

His great mercy may be granted unto us


AGRIPPINA of ROME, according to tradition St. Agrippina was a maiden and member of the Roman nobility. She was tortured and then either beheaded or scourged to death for being a Christian circa 262.

FELIX of SUTRI, a priest in Sutri in Tuscany (central Italy) during the reign of Emperor Valerian (r. 253–260) whose enthusiastic preaching and success in bringing people to Christ brought him to the attention of the authorities. In 257 St. Felix was arrested and scourged to death.

HIDULPHUS (HILDULPH) of HAINAUT, the husband of St. Agia of Hainaut (18th April), St. Hildulphus was a Count of Hainaut in present-day Belgium, and courtier at the royal palace of Austrasia. He was also a co-founder of the Abbey of St. Peter of Lobbes (abbaye Saint-Pierre de Lobbes — Hainaut, Belgium). By mutual consent, SS. Agia and Hidulphus separated and entered monasteries. St. Agia entered an abbey in Mons and St. Hidulphus entered Lobbes. St. Hildulphus reposed circa 707.

JAMES of TOUL, consecrated Bishop of Toul (north-eastern France) in 756. St. James reposed in 769 at the tomb of St. Benignus of Dijon (1st November) at Dijon in Burgundy (east-central France) while returning from a pilgrimage to Rome.

JOHN of ROME, a priest beheaded in 362 at Rome during the persecutions under Julian the Apostate (r. 361–363).

MOELIAI (MOELRAY) of NENDRUM, St. Moeliai was baptised by St. Patrick of Ireland (17th March) and later was the founding-Abbot of Nendrum Monastery on Mahee Island in Strangford Lough, Co. Down, Ulster. He reposed circa 493.

WALHERE of DINANT, (Date Unknown), a priest in Brabant in present-day Wallonia, Belgium. St. Walhere was murdered by a fellow cleric whom he had chastised, and has been venerated as a martyr since. St. Walhere's relics are enshrined in Dinant, Belgium

Prior to the Schism the Patriarchate of Rome was Orthodox, and fully in communion with the Orthodox Church. As Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco +1966 said “The West was Orthodox for a thousand years, and her venerable Liturgy is far older than any of her heresies”.

Details of British Saints excerpted from Orthodox Saints of the British Isles.
Details of continental saints from these sources.

In many cases there are several spelling versions of the names of saints from the British Isles. I use the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography version as the primary version with the more prevalent version in parenthesis e.g. Ceadda (Chad) of Lichfield.