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St. Angadrisma

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Angadrisma was a seventh century abbess venerated as a saint. A cousin to Bishop Saint Lambert of Lyons, she was educated at Thérouanne by Lambert and Saint Audomare. Although she wished to become a nun, she was promised in an arranged marriage to Saint Ansbert of Chaussy. Tradition states that Angadrisma, wishing for a way out, prayed fervently and was stricken with leprosy. She was cured when she was allowed to become a nun and received the veil from Saint Ouen, archbishop of Rouen. She became abbess of the Benedictine convent of Oroër-des-Vierges, near Beauvais.

Saint Etheldreda

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Sister of Saint Jurmin. Relative of King Anna of East Anglia, England. Princess. Widowed after three years marriage; rumor had it that the marriage was never consumated as Etheldrda had taken a vow of perpetual virginity. She married again for political reasons. Her new husband knew of her vow, but grew tired of living as brother and sister, and began to make advances on her; she refused him. He tried to bribe the local bishop, Saint Wilfrid of York, to release her from her vow; Wilfrid refused, and instead helped Audrey escape to a promontory called Colbert’s Head. A high tide then came in - and stayed high for seven days; it kept her separated from her husband and was considered divine intervention. The young man gave up; the marriage was annulled, and Audrey took the veil. She spent a year with her neice, Saint Ebbe the Elder. Founded the great abbey of Ely, where she lived an austere life. Etheldreda died of an enormous and unsightly tumor on her neck. She gratefully accepted this ...