BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SAINT HILDA

According to history, St. Hilda was born in 614 into the Deiran royal
family. She was the second daughter of Hereric, who died in exile at the
court of the British King of Elmet, in what is now West Yorkshire, while
Hilda was still an infant. Hilda was eventually brought up at King
Edwin’s court. In the year 627, precisely, on the Easter, 12th of April,
King Edwin was baptized along with his court, which included the 13
year old Hilda in a somewhat, small wooden church hastily constructed
for the occasion, near the site of the present York Minster.

The baptismal ceremony was performed by the Monk, Bishop Paulinus,
who had come from Rome in company of Saint Augustine of Hippo.
Saint Hilda was among the nobles and courtiers who were baptized with
Edwin. This will suggest that as a young girl, St. Hilda must have been
aware of the tradition of the church in Rome and of the existence of a
monastic life. By paradventure, the exact place where St. Hilda began
her life as a nun is not known, except that it was on the North Bank of
river Wear. Here with a few companions, she learned the traditions of
Celtic monasticism which Aidan had brought from Lona. A year after,
Aidan appointed Hilda second abbess of Heartlepool. By 657, Hilda
became the founding abbess of a new monastery at Whitby where she
remained until her death on the 17th November 680, at the advanced age
of sixty – six (66) years. Despite the agony she suffered from fever for the
last six years of her life, she was still committed to her pastoral
assignment. It is imperative to mention that in her last year she
managed to set up another monastery, fourteen miles from Whitby at
Hackness.

To the glory of God, on her death bed, as was reported, she
urged her community “to preserve the gospel peace among themselves
and towards all others.”. This message may have later on found
expression in the Church slogan, “St. Hilda ………….. Peace and Love”,
“Peace and Love………….. St. Hilda.”
In the Roman Catholic Church, the feast day of St. Hilda is 17th
November. On the level of patronage, St. Hilda is considered as one of
the patron saints of learning and culture, including poetry. By way of
iconography – St. Hilda is generally depicted with a staff and carrying an
abbey church. Often, there are ammonites at her feet.