Roman Catholic Saint. Born the daughter of King Merewald of Magonset, a sub-kingdom of Mercia. She was said to have been sent to be educated Abbey of Chelles in France at an early age. The story goes that a young nobleman, related to the Abbess of Chelles, asked the abbess for Mildred's hand in marriage. Mildred refused. The abbess favored an alliance with a royal family and reportedly beat the girl severely to no avail. Finally, the abbess threw Mildred into an oven, and much like the Biblical Shadrack, she emerged unscathed. Hearing of the miracle, the faithful venerated Mildred, but the abbess' persecution never faltered. The queen, Mildred's mother, eventually heard the claim of miracle, and sent ships to fetch her daughter. The abbess, fearing that her deeds should come to light, tried to prevent Mildred from leaving, but the young woman escaped during the night. Mildred joined her mother in the foundation of Minster-in-Thanet around the year 670. She took veil from Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury. Mildred succeeded her mother as Abbess of the community upon her death. Mildred died some 60 year later, after a lingering illness. In 1033, her minor relics were passed to Deventer in Holland, and other relics were transferred to St. Augustine’s Abbey in Canterbury. Mildred was canonized in 1388 by Urban VI. In 1882, following a refounding of a Benedictine monastery at Minster in Thanet, the nuns petitioned the Archbishop of Utrecht for the return of her relics to Thanet. In iconic art she is often either represented accompanied by a hart, or three geese. Her name has also been recorded as Mildrith, Mildthryth, or Mildryth.
Roman Catholic Saint. Born the daughter of King Merewald of Magonset, a sub-kingdom of Mercia. She was said to have been sent to be educated Abbey of Chelles in France at an early age. The story goes that a young nobleman, related to the Abbess of Chelles, asked the abbess for Mildred's hand in marriage. Mildred refused. The abbess favored an alliance with a royal family and reportedly beat the girl severely to no avail. Finally, the abbess threw Mildred into an oven, and much like the Biblical Shadrack, she emerged unscathed. Hearing of the miracle, the faithful venerated Mildred, but the abbess' persecution never faltered. The queen, Mildred's mother, eventually heard the claim of miracle, and sent ships to fetch her daughter. The abbess, fearing that her deeds should come to light, tried to prevent Mildred from leaving, but the young woman escaped during the night. Mildred joined her mother in the foundation of Minster-in-Thanet around the year 670. She took veil from Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury. Mildred succeeded her mother as Abbess of the community upon her death. Mildred died some 60 year later, after a lingering illness. In 1033, her minor relics were passed to Deventer in Holland, and other relics were transferred to St. Augustine’s Abbey in Canterbury. Mildred was canonized in 1388 by Urban VI. In 1882, following a refounding of a Benedictine monastery at Minster in Thanet, the nuns petitioned the Archbishop of Utrecht for the return of her relics to Thanet. In iconic art she is often either represented accompanied by a hart, or three geese. Her name has also been recorded as Mildrith, Mildthryth, or Mildryth.
Bio by: Iola
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