ST EWALD THE BLACK, ST EWALD THE WHITE, MARTYRS - 3 OCTOBER

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER 

Saints celebrated on the 3rd of October

WELCOME!

SAINT EWALD THE BLACK, SAINT EWALD THE WHITE, MARTYRS 

Soon after Saint Willibrord with eleven companions in 690 had opened the spiritual harvest in Friesland, two brothers, both priests, of the English nation, followed their example, and went over into the country of the ancient Saxons in Westphalia, in Germany, to preach the gospel to blind idolaters. 

They had travelled into Ireland, to improve themselves in virtue and sacred learning. Both were called by the same name, Ewald or Hewald; but, for distinction’s sake, from the colour of their hair, the one was called the Black, the other the White Ewald. 

Ewald the Black was esteemed more learned, in the holy scriptures, but both seemed equally to excel in the fervour of devotion and holy zeal. 

The old Saxons in Germany were at that time governed by several petty princes, who in time of war joined their forces, and cast lots who should command the army in chief, and him the rest were bound to obey; and, as soon as the war was over, they were all reduced to their former condition. 

The two brothers arriving in this country about the year 694, met with a certain steward, whom they desired to conduct them to his lord. All the way they were constantly employed in prayer and in singing psalms and sacred hymns, and every day offered the sacrifice of the holy oblation, for which purpose they carried with them sacred vessels, and a consecrated table for an altar. 

The barbarians observing this, and fearing lest the preachers might prevail upon their lord to forsake his idols, resolved to murder them both. 

The White Ewald they killed by the sword upon the spot; but they inflicted on the other brother most cruel torments, and at length tore him limb from limb. The lord of the territory being informed of this inhuman action, was highly incensed, put the authors of it to the sword, and burned their village. 

The bodies of the martyrs, which had been thrown by the murderers into the Rhine, were discovered by a heavenly light which shone over them, and by other miracles, to their companions, who were forty miles distant from the place where they were martyred; and one of them, whose name was Tilmon, or as it is more correctly written in King Alfred’s paraphrase of Bede, Tilman, was admonished in a vision to take them up.

This Tilman being a person of high birth, had formerly been an officer in the English army, but was then a monk, and one of the missionaries in Germany.

These relics were first taken up and interred by their fellow missionaries, Tilman and his companions, forty miles from the place of their martyrdom; but, immediately after, by an order of Pepin, duke of the French, were honourably conveyed to Cologne, where they are kept at this day in a gilt shrine in the Church of Saint Cunibert. Their martyrdom happened between the years 690 and 700, most probably in 695. 

They were honoured among the saints immediately after their death, as appears from Bede the Venerable's prose Martyrology, which seems to have been written a year after their death. Saint Anno, archbishop of Cologne, in 1074, translated their relics in this church.

Source: Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that we who know how courageously your holy martyrs Ewald and Ewald confessed the faith, may experience their goodness as they intercede for us with you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.