Died at Ripon in 744. Saint Wilfrid was one of the five future bishops
who were educated by
Saint Hilda (f.d. November 17)
at Whitby. This
indefatigable bishop of York was the favourite disciple of
Saint John of Beverly (f.d. May 7)
at Whitby. But first he was appointed abbot of the
cathedral community at York, and shortly thereafter coadjutor of John of
Beverly, whom he succeeded as bishop. Little is known of Wilfrid's
episcopate except that he was zealous for education. Twelve years
before his death at Ripon Abbey, Wilfrid retired to a monastery in order
to be free to serve God with his whole soul. In the 10th century, two
different groups claim to have taken the relics of
Saint Wilfrid the Great (f.d. October 12)
from Ripon; most likely one party took those of
Wilfrid the Younger. This saint's feast is attested in the Calendar of
Winchcombe and later martyrologies, though he does not seem to have had
a widespread or popular cultus (Benedictines, Encyclopaedia, Farmer).
(
Benedictines,
Encyclopaedia,
Farmer).