Posted by St Lewinna, Virgin Martyr; Commemoration of the Vigil of St James the Great, Apostle: Missa “Me expectaverunt”
Sussex was the last of the seven Saxon kingdoms to become officially Christian and east Sussex remained pagan longest of all. St Wilfrid of York, the Apostle of the South Saxons (ie the people of Sussex) several times experienced their extreme ferocity. There is no early evidence to support the idea that St Lewinna was a Briton, as some accounts state. She was almost certainly an early South Saxon Christian martyred by her fellow countrymen who were still pagan.
The date of her death was during the period when St Theodore of Tarsus was Archbishop of Canterbury, probably about AD 670. This was before St Wilfrid’s missionary labours, though there would have been isolated Christians in Sussex at this time. About three centuries after her martyrdom, her relics were solemnly translated to St Andrew’s church so the place of her sufferings must have been nearby. As for the church of St Andrew where her relics had rested in Anglo-Saxon times, there is a lot of controversy concerning its identity, but the most likely candidate is Alfriston, an attractive village north of Seaford.
Model of purity and devotion,
Virgin consecrated to Christ,
your heavenly Spouse,
You lived according to
the law of the Holy Gospel
When you were done to death
by the pagan Saxons.
Holy Lewinna, pray to the Lord for our souls!
Once there no doubt existed a locally composed life of the saint but this has long ago vanished. Most of our knowledge now comes from an eleventh century account of the secret removal of her relics from a church near Seaford in 1058 to the monastery at Bergues (Berg) in Flanders by one of its monks.
The monk, named Balger, had intended to land at Dover but was blown off course and landed further west, most probably at Seaford. Inland he found a church dedicated to Saint Andrew where he was told the body of Saint Lewinna rested and where miracles happened “daily” because of her heavenly prayers. Balger seems to have stolen the relics by trickery and certainly from then onwards nearly every memory of the saint disappeared in England though she remained a much-loved intercessor in her new home. Bergues became part of France in the reign of Louis XVI and the monastery was destroyed in the French Revolution. As for the church of St Andrew where her relics had rested in Anglo-Saxon times, there is a lot of controversy concerning its identity, but the most likely candidate is Alfriston, an attractive village north of Seaford.
Sussex was the last of the seven Saxon kingdoms to become officially Christian and east Sussex remained pagan longest of all. St Wilfrid of York, the Apostle of the South Saxons (ie the people of Sussex) several times experienced their extreme ferocity. There is no early evidence to support the idea that St Lewinna was a Briton, as some accounts state. She was almost certainly an early South Saxon Christian martyred by her fellow countrymen who were still pagan. The date of her death was during the period when St Theodore of Tarsus was Archbishop of Canterbury, probably about AD 670. This was before St Wilfrid’s missionary labours, though there would have been isolated Christians in Sussex at this time. About three centuries after her martyrdom, her relics were solemnly translated to St Andrew’s church so the place of her sufferings must have been nearby.
After 1058, her relics remained at the monastery of St Winnoc (a Welsh saint) in Bergues, apart from occasional processions through neighbouring towns and villages, when many miracles are described as taking place. In 1383, Bergues was attacked by allies of the French king and it is recorded that the reliquaries of Saints Winnoc, Oswald, Lewinna and Idaberga were stripped of valuables. It is interesting that all the relics possessed by this important monastery were of saints of the British Isles.
In 1558, during the French wars of religion, Bergues was captured by French Protestants and all the remains of Saint Lewinna disappeared except for one rib bone. This was venerated at the monastery until the French Revolution and two annual feasts were kept in her honour, on 16th June and 24th July. St Winnoc’s great monastery was largely destroyed at the Revolution but some of its relics were transferred to the parish church of St Martin, including that of our saint. Much later, in 1928, the priest of St Martin’s Bergues rediscovered the relic (or rather a part of it) and displayed it for veneration. Very sadly the church was almost destroyed during bombardment in the Second World War. Afterwards the church was rebuilt but the relic was not found.
INTROIT Ps. 119
THE ungodly laid wait for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies, O Lord: I see that all things come an end: but thy commandment is exceeding broad. Ps. ibid. Blessed are those that are undefiled in the way: and walk in the law of the Lord. v. Glory be…etc
COLLECT
O God, lover of the purity of Thy saints, who hast poured forth as an example the pure virginity of Blessed Lewinna; grant us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate her glorious martyrdom, that we may ever deserve to be strengthened by her protection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, Forever and ever.
Commemoration In Vigilia S. James the Great, Apostle
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the worshipful Feast of thy blessed Apostle (and Evangelist) N. on the eve whereof we now stand, may avail us to the increase both of godliness toward thee, and of health to our own souls.
EPISTLE Ecclesiasticus 51:13-17
O Lord my God, Thou hast exalted my dwelling place upon the earth, and I have prayed for death to pass away. I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that He would not leave me in the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud without help. I will praise Thy Name continually, and will praise it with thanksgiving, and my prayer was heard. And Thou hast saved me from destruction, and hast delivered me from the evil time. Therefore I will give thanks and praise to Thee, O Lord our God.
GRADUAL/ALLELUIA Psalm 45
Full of grace are thy lips: because God hath blessed thee for ever. V. Because of the word of truth, of meekness, and righteousness: and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Alleluia, alleluia. V. St. Matt. 25. The five wise virgins took oil in their vessels with their lamps: and at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh: go ye out to meet him, Christ the Lord. Alleluia.
GOSPEL Matthew 13:44-52
The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Eccli. 14. 11, 12, 27
Offer to God worthy offerings. Remember that death is not slow. He that considereth her ways in his heart, shall rest in her glory too.
SECRET
Graciously receive, O Lord, through the merits of Blessed Lewinna, thy Virgin and Martyr, the sacrifices which we offer unto Thee; and grant that they may avail for our continual assistance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever.
Commemoration In Vigilia S. James the Great, Apostle
Offering to thee these holy mysteries with reverence for the high dignity of the Apostleship, we beseech thee, O Lord that thropugh the prayers of blessed N. , thy Apostle (and Evangelist), to whose feast we look forward, thy people ever may set forth their desires before thee and gain what they seek. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.
PREFACE of the Blessed Trinity
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God. Who, together with Thine only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, art one God, one Lord: not in the oneness of a single Person, but in the Trinity of one Substance. For what we believe by Thy revelation of Thy glory, the same do we believe of Thy Son, the same of the Holy Ghost, without difference or separation. So that in confessing the true and everlasting Godhead, distinction in persons, unity in essence, and equality in majesty may be adored. Which the angels and archangels, the cherubim also and seraphim do praise: who cease not daily to cry out, with one voice saying:
COMMUNION ANTIPHON I Tim 1:12
I thank him who has given me strength for this, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful by appointing me to his service.
POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord our God, who has fulfilled us with the bounty of Thy heavenly gift, we beseech Thee; that by the intercession of Blessed Lewinna Thy Virgin and Martyr, we may ever live by the partaking of that gift. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever.
Commemoration In Vigilia S. James the Great, Apostle
Be appease, we beseech thee, O Lord, by the prayers of thy holy Apostle (and Evangelist), N. , and grant us pardon and unfailing remedies. Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
R. Amen.