Church of St Hilda, Hartlepool, built near where Heiu’s monastery was located
On the second of September we commemorate another holy mother of the English Church in the North. In fact, she was the first woman in Northumbria to take holy orders – however, she was not an Englishwoman. Saint Heiu [also Hieu, may be identical with Saint Bega] was, in fact, of Irish descent and was well-known to Saint Aidan, the bishop who tonsured her. Saint Bede describes her as ‘a devout servant of Christ’ in his History of the English Church and People.
Saint Heiu, as the first nun in Northumbria, founded a monastery at Hartlepool. It was not long, however, before she left Hartlepool for Tadcaster, where she founded another monastery. Saint Heiu was succeeded as abbess of Hartlepool by Saint Hild, who was apparently also known and trusted to her. Saint Hild at once established at Hartlepool a rule of regular observance of monastic disciplines.
Saint Heiu reposed, and was apparently buried, at the site of her monastery at Tadcaster, which is called Healaugh after her. Although the original monasteries she founded are no longer standing – perhaps being destroyed in the Danish invasion – her spiritual legacy nevertheless survived, through Saint Hild, at Whitby Abbey for a long time afterward. Holy Mother Heiu, pray to Christ our God for us sinners!
In Tadcaster’s Monastery, O Abbess Heiu,
Thou didst shine with the virtues of asceticism and humility.
Pray that we also may follow the example
Of thy great teacher, the Hierarch Aidan,
And live lives of spiritual struggle that our souls may be saved.
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