A portrait of St. Etheldreda
St. Etheldreda
c. 636 – 679
Feast
June 23 · VII c.
Patron of
Neck ailments · Widows · Ely · Chastity
Order
Abbess / Royal
Anglo-Saxon princess and abbess (c. 636-679), daughter of King Anna of East Anglia; twice married but remained a virgin, eventually leaving King Ecgfrith of Northumbria to take the veil from St. Wilfrid and found Ely Abbey in 673. Patron of Ely; the English word "tawdry" derives from cheap goods sold at her fair.
Life & Times
Born: c. 636 · Died: 679 · From: England / Ely.
Patronage
St. Etheldreda is invoked as the patron of neck ailments, widows, ely, chastity. Those in these callings or circumstances often turn to this saint in prayer.
Shop St. Etheldreda Products
Devotional items honoring St. Etheldreda, from our Sancta Lumina collection and beyond.
About Catholic Saints
Catholic saints, including St. Etheldreda, are Christians whom the Catholic Church has formally recognized as having lived lifes of heroic holiness and who now dwell with God in heaven, offering an example of faith for those still on their earthly journey. Catholics don't worship saints, but ask them to pray to God with us and for us — much as one might ask a trusted friend to pray for them — trusting that those closest to God can join their voices to ours before Him. Discover more saints in the Catholic Shop Saints section.