Shrine of St. Frideswide, Christ Church Cathedral Oxford.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Feast, July 16; St. Osmund

Osmund was the first Norman Bishop of Sarum England (now Salisbury). He was consecrated bishop in 1078 under William I. During his episcopate he built the cathedral at Old Sarum within the Norman castle, and helped put together the Domesday book for William I, presented to the king at Sarum in 1086. Osmund was admired for his kindness which was unusual for the Norman hierarchy in his time, as his reverence for the Anglo-Saxon saints such as St. Aldhelm Whom Osmund greatly respected. He had a love for books, making several of them himself and is credited for putting together the Sarum Rite, by collecting the various rites used across England. He died in 1099 and although pilgrims came to his tomb soon after, he was not canonized until 1457 when his relics were translated to a new shrine on this day. His tomb in Salisbury Cathedral is pictured above.

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