Venerable Boisil, Prior of Melrose

Saint Boisil of Melrose

The twenty-third of February is the feast day of Saint Boisil, a prior of Melrose who was given the gift of foresight. Apparently a Scot by birth, and one of the first pupils to be trained as a monk under Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne, he went with Saint Eata and served first as prior when the latter founded the abbey of Melrose. Most of our information about Saint Boisil comes from Saint Bede, whose source about Boisil’s life and personality was a monk named Sigefrið who learned under Boisil and knew him personally.

The fame of Saint Boisil [also Boswell] derives largely from his connexion with Saint Cuðberht, who was drawn to Melrose rather than to Lindisfarne by the holy life and spiritual gifts of Boisil; and it was from Boisil that Cuðberht learned the Scriptures and the life of virtue. Boisil prayed without ceasing, and the names of Father, Son and Holy Spirit were continually in his mind and upon his lips. He also possessed the gift of tears, and would often weep in a spirit of repentance.

It is said that Prior Boisil was standing by the door of the abbey when Cuðberht first appeared there as a boy. As the lad went inside the Church to pray, Boisil made no loud exclamation, but he did say to the monks that were standing near him, pointing to Cuðberht: ‘Behold, the servant of the Lord.’ Bede cites Cuðberht as confiding that it was Prior Boisil who predicted for him the main things that would happen to him in his life. He also predicted, three years before it happened, the pestilence that would claim his life but which would pass over the lives of Abbot Eata and Saint Cuðberht.

Saint Boisil and Saint Cuðberht became more than merely master and pupil; they became close friends. Together they would travel around the countryside, visiting with poor folk. Those who were sick would come to Boisil for his knowledge of herbalism, which could affect speedy and thorough cures. They would also give whatever they happened to have with them, and share it amongst the poor. The two of them preached the Gospel, it may indeed be said of them, but they did it by example of their own lives.

Saint Boisil belonged to the Celtic rather than to the Benedictine spiritual tradition; but all the same he had the same attitude about the renunciation of the will. He exhorted his brethren always to curb their own love of self and their own private judgements, especially to flee from the latter as from a soul-destroying disease, and instead submit all to the will of God. He believed monks would do best to attain purity of heart and singleness of mind, this being the most direct way to approach God.

Boisil spoke to Cuðberht, who was recuperating from the pestilence that had struck in 664, as he lay on his deathbed. In particular, he foretold that Cuðberht would become a great bishop of the Church and lead many souls to Christ. He also exhorted his pupil: ‘While you still have me here to teach you, do not neglect to learn something from me; for I have but seven days left to live.’ Saint Cuðberht asked his master what he might learn within the space of seven days. Boisil instructed him to read from the Gospel of Saint John, and then conversed with Cuðberht over the right interpretations of its theology. This they did within seven days together; and being satisfied with his student, at peace with his brothers and in joy at meeting Christ, he reposed in the Lord.

Saint Boisil continued to work wonders and to appear in visions after his death. Most famously, he appeared to the mendicant bishop Ecgberht of Ripon and warned him against going to the Continent to preach the Gospel to the Frisians and Saxons. Instead he told Ecgberht that he must instead go among the monks at Iona and the Orkneys, and work on repairing the monasteries there; the work of enlightening the Continent must fall to his students like Saints Wihtberht, Swíðberht and Willehad. The relics of Saint Boisil were translated, together with those of Saint Bede, to Durham in 1030 by the sacristan Ælfræd Westowe. Holy father Boisil, far-sighted teacher of saints, pray unto Christ our God that our souls may be saved!

Melrose Abbey