Saint Frideswide

Also known as

• Fredeswida
• Fredeswinda
• Frévisse
• Friday
• Frideswida
• Fris

Memorial

• 19 October

Profile

Daughter of Prince Didan. When a neighbouring noble, Prince Algar, as for her hand in an arranged marriage, Frideswide fled to Thomwry Wood, Birnsey, England where she lived as a hermitess. Benedictine nun. Founded Saint Mary’s Convent, and served as its abbess. The monastery is now Christ Church College, University of Oxford, and the convent church became Oxford cathedral.

Born

• c.650 in the upper Thames region of England

Died

• c.735 of natural causes
• in 1561 Calfhill, Canon of Christ Church, desecrated and destroyed her relics

Canonized

• Pre-Congregation

Patronage

• Oxford, England
• University of Oxford, England

Representation

• Benedictine nun with an ox

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Catholic Encyclopedia
• Catholic Online
• New Catholic Dictionary
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

Readings

Whatsoever is not God is nothing. - Saint Frideswide

MLA Citation

• “Saint Frideswide“. Saints.SQPN.com. 3 April 2013. Web. 19 May 2013. <>