Egwin
Encyclopedia
Egcwine (also Ecgwin, Egwin and Eegwine) was the third Bishop of Worcester
in England.
. His biographers say that king, clergy, and commonalty all united in demanding his elevation as bishop; but the popularity which led him to the episcopal office dissipated in response to his performance as bishop. He was consecrated bishop in 693.
Ecgwine was born in Worcester
of a noble family, and was a descendant of Mercian kings. He may possibly have been a nephew of King Æthelred of Mercia. He struggled with the local population over the acceptance of Christian morality
; especially Christian marriage
and clerical celibacy
Ecgwine's stern discipline created a resentment which, as King Æthelred of Mercia was his friend, eventually found its way to his ecclesiastical superiors. Ecgwine undertook a pilgrimage to seek vindication from the Roman Pontiff himself. According to a legend, he prepared for his journey by locking shackles on his feet, and throwing the key into the River Avon. While he prayed before the tomb of the Apostles, at Rome, one of his servants brought him this very key — found in the maw of a fish that had just been caught in the Tiber. Ecgwine then released himself from his self-imposed bonds and straightway obtained from the pope an authoritative release from the load of obloquy which his enemies had striven to fasten upon him.
One of the last important acts of his episcopate was his participation in the first great Council of Clovesho
. According to Jean Mabillon
, he died on 30 December 720, though his death is generally accepted as having occurred three years earlier on 30 December 717.
He was regarded as a saint following his death. A Vita Sancti Egwini was written by Dominic of Evesham
, a medieval prior of Evesham Abbey around 1130.
Bishop of Worcester
The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury...
in England.
Life
He was the founder of the Evesham AbbeyEvesham Abbey
Evesham Abbey was founded by Saint Egwin at Evesham in England between 700 and 710 A.D. following a vision of the Virgin Mary by Eof.According to the monastic history, Evesham came through the Norman Conquest unusually well, because of a quick approach by Abbot Æthelwig to William the Conqueror...
. His biographers say that king, clergy, and commonalty all united in demanding his elevation as bishop; but the popularity which led him to the episcopal office dissipated in response to his performance as bishop. He was consecrated bishop in 693.
Ecgwine was born in Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
of a noble family, and was a descendant of Mercian kings. He may possibly have been a nephew of King Æthelred of Mercia. He struggled with the local population over the acceptance of Christian morality
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
; especially Christian marriage
Christian views of marriage
Christian views on marriage typically regard it as instituted and ordained by God for the lifelong relationship between one man as husband and one woman as wife, and is to be "held in honour among all...."...
and clerical celibacy
Clerical celibacy
Clerical celibacy is the discipline by which some or all members of the clergy in certain religions are required to be unmarried. Since these religions consider deliberate sexual thoughts, feelings, and behavior outside of marriage to be sinful, clerical celibacy also requires abstension from these...
Ecgwine's stern discipline created a resentment which, as King Æthelred of Mercia was his friend, eventually found its way to his ecclesiastical superiors. Ecgwine undertook a pilgrimage to seek vindication from the Roman Pontiff himself. According to a legend, he prepared for his journey by locking shackles on his feet, and throwing the key into the River Avon. While he prayed before the tomb of the Apostles, at Rome, one of his servants brought him this very key — found in the maw of a fish that had just been caught in the Tiber. Ecgwine then released himself from his self-imposed bonds and straightway obtained from the pope an authoritative release from the load of obloquy which his enemies had striven to fasten upon him.
One of the last important acts of his episcopate was his participation in the first great Council of Clovesho
Councils of Clovesho
The Councils of Clovesho were a series of synods in England in the eighth and ninth centuries.The location of Clovesho has never been conclusively identified, though it must have been in or near the kingdom of Mercia, but also relatively convenient for bishops from the south of England. It has...
. According to Jean Mabillon
Jean Mabillon
Jean Mabillon was a French Benedictine monk and scholar, considered the founder of palaeography and diplomatics.-Early career:...
, he died on 30 December 720, though his death is generally accepted as having occurred three years earlier on 30 December 717.
He was regarded as a saint following his death. A Vita Sancti Egwini was written by Dominic of Evesham
Dominic of Evesham
Dominic was a medieval prior of Evesham Abbey in England and writer of histories.Little is known of his life. He was probably a native Englishman, and was probably born sometime before 1077, and was probably raised around the abbey. He may have entered Evesham before 1077, but certainly by 1104, he...
, a medieval prior of Evesham Abbey around 1130.