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Seaxburh of Ely
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Saint Seaxburh or Sexburga of Ely (died c. 699) was an Anglo-Saxon princess, abbess and saint of the Catholic Church.
Seaxburh was one of four daughters of King Anna of East Anglia. Her sisters were Saint Ethelburga of Faremoutier and Saint Saethrid, who were both abbesses of the Abbey of Faremoutiers in Brie, and Etheldreda who was abbess of Ely.
Around 640 Seaxburh married Eorcenberht of Kent. In twenty four years of marriage she had two sons, Ecgberht and Hlothhere (Lothar) who both became Kings of Kent, and two daughters who were eventually canonised: Saint Earcongota, a nun at Faremoutiers, and Ermenilda, who married Wulfhere, King of Mercia, and after his death became a nun at, and eventually abbess of, Ely.
After the death of her husband in on 14 July 664, she ruled Kent until her son came of age. Thereafter, Seaxburh also became a nun and founded the abbey of Minster-in-Sheppey. Shortly afterwards she moved to Ely to join her sister Etheldredra. Etheldredra died around 679 and Seaxburh was elected abbess in her place. The date of her death is not known for sure, but she is buried in Ely. Her feast day is July 6.
- This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.