St. Wulfstan

St. Wulfstan was born around 1008 in England and died on 19 January 1095, the last of the great Anglo-Saxon bishops. A monk and prior at Worcester, celebrated for his humility, his long hours of prayer, and his devoted preaching, he was made bishop of Worcester around 1062, accepting the burden only with reluctance. When the Norman Conquest overturned the kingdom a few years later, Wulfstan, alone among the English bishops, was judged so holy and so capable that he was left in possession of his see.

He governed his diocese for more than thirty years as a model shepherd, rebuilding his cathedral, visiting his people tirelessly, and defending the poor. With the help of Archbishop Lanfranc he labored to abolish the cruel trade in slaves that was carried on through the port of Bristol, preaching against it until it was suppressed. Revered for his sanctity throughout his long life, he was canonized in 1203, and his memory is kept on 19 January.