Saint Wulfstan of Worcester

Wulfstan was born around 1008 in Warwickshire, England. He became a monk and then prior of the cathedral monastery at Worcester, known for his prayer, preaching and simple life. In 1062 he was made bishop of Worcester, though he protested that he was unworthy.

After the Norman Conquest of 1066, almost all the English bishops were replaced by Normans, but Wulfstan's holiness and loyalty earned him the respect of William the Conqueror, and he remained in office until his death. He rebuilt Worcester Cathedral, visited every part of his diocese, cared for the poor, and with Archbishop Lanfranc preached against the cruel trade that sold English men and women from Bristol as slaves to Ireland, helping to bring it to an end. He died in January 1095 and was canonized in 1203.

His tomb in Worcester Cathedral became a place of pilgrimage, and King John of England asked to be buried beside him. He is remembered as the last of the Anglo-Saxon saints and a pastor of the poor. The Roman Martyrology commemorates him on January 19.