05.30 Life of Righteous Walstan of Bawburgh & Taverham

Feast Day: 30 May / 12 June

Reposed: 1016

Life of St Walstan

St. Walstan (+1016), was born around 975 in the village of Bawburgh (now a mile from the outskirts of the city of Norwich) in what is now Norfolk. His parents were called Benedict and Blide (Blitha), who may have been kinsmen to Wessex royalty. From the example of his parents, who possessed a library, little Walstan came to love reading, and especially the Holy Scriptures. The boy was impressed by the verse in the Gospel of Luke, Whosoever that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple (Lk. 14:33). It touched his heart so deeply that Walstan decided to keep this commandment to the full. Thus at the early age of seven Walstan promised to renounce all for the love of God and to devote himself to the Lord in humility and anonymity. Shortly before his thirteenth birthday, Walstan told his parents that he must leave their home forever. Benedict and Blide, who had been warned of their son’s destiny in a dream by an angel, consented to his wish, though they grieved deep in their hearts.

Walstan left his parents’ home and set forth on his journey. When he was passing the settlement of Costessey (now a small suburb of Norwich divided into two parts by the River Tud) he met two beggars to whom he gave his rich garments and then dressed himself in the pauper’s clothes. An hour later the path led him to the village of Taverham, a few miles north of Bawburgh, where he decided to rest. A peasant called Nalga who owned a large farm offered Walstan work. The latter agreed.

Thus the man of God became a farmhand on Nalga’s lands and remained at Taverham till the end of his life. Very soon he gained a reputation for hard work and piety, developed an affinity with the poor and was extremely charitable, giving both his food and clothing to all who needed them. Nalga gave him pay, but the saint would immediately share most of it with the needy. He would often carry out his work barefoot. Nalga’s wife, out of pity for him, would give him new shoes and extra food. But Walstan would instantly give all away to passing beggars. Once Nalga and his wife got angry with him for this, but Walstan explained to them that poor people are sent us by God to test whether we love Canon to Righteous Walstan of Taverham Him more than ourselves. One day Nalga’s wife had a temptation: as mockery she sent Walstan to the wood to fetch briars, rambles and nettles. But by miracle the saint easily trod through the thorns, as if they were as soft as rose pedals, giving off a most sweet fragrance. Seeing this, his employers bowed down before Walstan in remorse. But humble Walstan was not offended and continued to love them.

Many years passed. Walstan became known and loved by everybody in the area for his gifts of prayer, fasting, hard work, purity, and abundant love for all God’s creatures, man and beast alike. The Almighty bestowed the gift of miracles on His faithful servant. Through his prayers people were cured from many ailments, and animals were frequently brought to him for healing. Every kind of work prospered through the gentle Walstan’s labours and the Creator blessed whatever he did. To the end of his life, Walstan lived on Nalga’s farm in quietness and poverty, keeping his royal origin a secret and giving away the wages he earned. It is believed that St. Walstan often retreated for quiet prayer to an ancient Christian cross nearby, took part in the building of a little church and in the final years of his life had regular visions. Even his parents who lived very close in Bawburgh did not suspect that the kind-hearted saintly farmhand at Taverham, of whom they surely heard, was their son.

One day in May 1016, at the start of the haymaking season, Walstan was mowing when an angel appeared to him, saying, “Walstan, on the third day after this you will depart this life and enter Paradise.” The man of God at once put down his scythe and went to the village priest, asking him to come on the third day and give him Holy Communion for the last time. On the same day the man of God heard the heavenly music of a chorus of angels and beheld a great many angelic hosts glorifying the Holy Trinity.

On Monday May 30, 1016 the village priest came to Walstan while he was mowing in the fields. He had worked with his scythe until the morning ended and then his final hour came. As the priest prepared to give Holy Communion to Walstan, the latter realized that there was no water to wash their hands. Walstan prayed on his knees, and, lo and behold, at once a spring gushed up before Canon to Righteous Walstan of Taverham him. Having taken Communion, Walstan told those gathered there that after his repose they were to place his body on the wagon and yoke it to the two white calves. “You need not lead them, but the calves will be driven by the Lord Himself,” the saint said. He then offered up a prayer and asked the Saviour that every sick peasant and labourer and beast should receive relief and healing of their infirmities through his intercessions, provided they prayed with true faith. At that moment a voice was heard from above, saying, “Walstan, what you have asked will be granted. Come from your labours and enter into eternal bliss.”

On taking Communion St. Walstan reposed and at that moment a white dove was seen flying upwards and disappearing into the sky. Nalga and the people of Taverham laid Walstan’s body on the wagon and attached the calves to it. And they began to move along the local River Wensum, guided by the power of God. Where they stopped to rest, holy springs with clear water gushed forth. Thus, three holy springs appeared on that day: that in Taverham (through Walstan’s prayers), then at Costessey and, finally, in Bawburgh—the saint’s birthplace. The procession, reaching Bawburgh, ascended a steep hill to the church that stood there. According to legend, on their way the calves crossed the river as if it were dry land, stepped into the church through an opening in the wall, “made by angels”, and stopped inside.

The relics of the holy man were enshrined inside Bawburgh church. Walstan became the patron-saint of farmers, farm-laborers, farmhands, husbandrymen, mowers, haymakers, reapers, herdsmen, villagers, farms and farm animals in Norfolk and all East Anglia. And indeed in subsequent centuries peasants and farmers from other regions of England flocked to St. Walstan’s shrine and wells in great numbers. Many brought their sick animals and cattle with them—and many were healed.

His relics were destroyed during the Reformation in the 16th century, but his holy well remains to this day.

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Troparion (Tone IV)

O Righteous Walstan, thou didst leave thy home to labour for Christ in the fields of Taverham. Through fasting, prayer and great humility thou hast gathered many for the harvest of Christ. The Lord crowned thee as a saint and bestowed upon thee the gift of miracles. Pray then that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion (Tone IV)

Thou hast received the grace of healing, O righteous and wonder-working Walstan; Thou givest health to those in need. Pray for us and repulse the assaults of the enemy, and heal us all by thy wonderworking.