Orthodox Icon of St. Hilda of Whitby

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November 17th
Troparion (Tone 1)
Though thou wast of royal birth and lineage, O Hilda, thou didst spurn earthly riches and the allurements of the flesh. And cleaving with all thy heart unto Christ, thou didst take up the struggle of the monastic life. Wherefore, God endowed thee with such wisdom and prudence that all the people hastened unto thee for counsel and succour. O venerable one, entreat Him unceasingly, that He grant us great mercy.

St. Hilda was born in 614 in Northumbria, England. King Edwin was her great-uncle. She was baptized at the age of thirteen along with her great-uncle. She determined to became a nun after the example of her sister, Hereswith. Her sister sought the monastic life abroad. St. Hilda was to follow her, but St. Aidan persuaded her to stay in England and gave her land to start a monastery, thus making her the first nun in England. He appointed her as abbess in Hartepool and she led with great success. St Hilda eventually undertook the building of a monastery in Whitby. There she started a monastery for women, then one for men. Under her leadership, Whitby became a great missionary center, training and sending monastics to disciple Northern Europe. She taught the monks and nuns in the Sacred Scriptures and importance of prayer. It is reported that five bishops came out of Whitby due to her fine tutelage. Seven years before her death in 680, St. Hilda became ill with a fever that never left her. Despite her illness, she never neglected any of her duties.

This icon is by the hand of Nick Papas. This icon is one of the "cloud of witnesses" at St. Philip Antiochian Orthodox Church, Souderton, Pennsylvania.

Order #phn-95

Check out other saints of the British Isles.