Venerable Mildg‎ýð, Nun of Minster-in-Thanet

Minster Abbey in Thanet, Kent

Another holy mother of the English Church, a native of Kent, Saint Mildgýð is commemorated on the seventeenth of January in the Orthodox Church. The third and youngest of the sainted daughters of Merewalh King of the Magonsætan by Æbbe his saintly lady, Mildgýð is unfortunately sometimes overlooked in preference to her more famous elder sisters Mildburg and Mildþr‎ýð. Together the three daughters of Merewalh are taken in English hagiography as representatives of the three theological virtues: with Mildburg representing faith; Mildgýð representing hope; and Mildþrýð representing love. Though the Antiochian Orthodox Church remembers Mildgýð as a holy abbess at Minster-in-Thanet, she also has an association with Northumbria, where she may have served God as an anchoress or an abbess.

She was originally located at a small Benedictine priory in Eastry, but soon relocated to be nearer her older sister in Thanet. Some traditions have it that she succeeded Mildþr‎ýð as abbess of Minster; however, Mildþrýð’s successor at Minster is named as Éadburg. It seems more likely that Mildgýð long predeceased Mildþr‎ýð, as the date of her blessed repose is given as the seventeenth of January in the year 676. Holy mother Mildgýð, righteous and hopeful nun, pray unto Christ our God that our souls may be saved!