Subj : March 6th - SS. Cyneburga, Cyneswide and Tibba To : All From : rich Date : Thu Mar 05 2020 08:43:15 From: rich March 6th - SS. Cyneburga, Cyneswide and Tibba 7th v. BEDE tells us that Cyneburga, a daughter of King Penda of Mercia, was married to Alcfrid, a son of King Oswy of Northumbria. It is not known what happened to Alcfrid after he rebelled against his father, but after a time Cyneburga found herself free to leave the north and to return to her own land. On a piece of fenland on the borders of Northampton and Huntingdon, her brothers or she founded a convent which she entered. The place was afterwards called Cyneburgecester, and it is now known as Castor. Round her gathered a band of women who served God in much holiness, whilst she as their abbess outshone them all and was remark=C2=ADable for the wisdom and care with which she watched over her nuns. Here she was joined by her sister St. Cyneswide, who from her earliest years had devoted herself to God alone. Her brother, King Wulfhere, had betrothed her to Offa, son of the king of the East Saxons, but she so wrought upon her affianced husband that he released her. She eventually succeeded her sister as abbess. A third holy woman, who is associated with the other two and was venerated on this day, is their kinswoman St. Tibba, of whom it is recorded that she spent many years in solitude and devotion, but whether she lived in the abbey or in some cell in the neighbourhood history does not record. They were all laid to rest eventually in the abbey of Medeshamstede (Peterborough), which the two sisters must have helped to establish, for their names appear in the list of those who took part in the assembly which sanctioned its foundation, and they were reckoned among its patrons. In the reign of Henry I the bones of these three saints were restored to Peterborough from Thorney, whither they had been taken when Peter-borough was for a second time ravaged by the Danes, and a festival was instituted to honour the translation. According to Camden, St. Tibba was specially honoured at Ryhall in Rutlandshire, so she may possibly have at one time occupied a cell in that neighbourhood, where, indeed, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (s.a. 963) says she was at first buried. We know little of St. Cyneburga beyond what may be found in the text and notes of Plummer's edition of Bede's Historia Ecclesias= tica. What is stated in William of Malmesbury and the Peterborough Chronicle is not very trustworthy. The references to Cyneburga in the Cartularium, Gloucestriae are due to confusion with another saint of that name cf. J. B. L. Tolhurst, =E2=80=9CSt. Kyneburga of Gloucester=E2=80=9D, in Pax, S= ummer 1943, pp. 85-87. The names Alcfrith and Cyneburh may clearly be read in the runes of the Bewcastle Cross in Cumberland. Saint Quote: 'Let us make the Sign of the Cross boldly and courageously. When the demons see it they are reminded of the Crucified; they take to flight; they hide themselves and leave us' --St Cyril of Jerusalem Bible Quote: "Because he hath looked forth from his high sanctuary: from heaven the Lord hath looked upon the earth" (Psalm 101:20) <<>><<>> A prayer to Our Lady of Divine Providence: Mary, Immaculate Virgin and Mother of divine Providence, keep my soul with the fullness of thy grace: do thou govern my life and direct it in the way of virtue to the fulfillment of the Divine Will. Obtain for me the pardon and remission of all my sins; be thou my refuge , my protection, my defence and my guide in my pilgrimage through the world; comfort me in the midst of tribulation; bring me safe through every danger; in the storms of adversity afford me thy sure protection. Obtain for me, O Mary, the renewal of my heart within me, that it may become a holy dwelling place for thy divine Son Jesus; keep far from me, who am so weak and miserable, every kind of sin, negligence, lukewarmness, cowardice and human respect. Dear Mother of divine Providence, turn thy motherly gaze upon me, and if through weakness or malice, I have provoked the threats of the eternal Judge and saddened the Sacred Heart of my dear Jesus, do thou cover me with the mantle of thy protection and I shall be safe. Thou art the Mother of Providence; thou art the Virgin of pardon; thou art my hope on earth. Grant that I may have thee as my Mother in the glory of heaven. Amen. Hail Mary... (thrice) --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .