⛪ Saint Richard the Pilgrim

Father of Saints and Model for Christian Parents

The Mystery of His Identity

Saint Richard the Pilgrim, also known as Richard of Wessex, was an English nobleman and Christian saint who died in 720. He was the husband of Wuna of Wessex and the father of the West Saxon saints Willibald, Winnibald, and Walpurga. His story presents us with one of the beautiful mysteries of early medieval sanctity—a man whose very name was not recorded in the earliest historical sources, yet whose holiness was so evident that it has echoed through the centuries.

The name of the saints' father is not given in the 8th-century Hodoeporicon (Itinerary) of Hygeburg, the earliest source, nor is Richard listed in the earliest martyrologies. The name Richard and his identity as a "King of the English" are inventions of the 10th century from the monastery of Heidenheim. The faithful of Lucca and those who followed his children gave this man a name—Richard—and even a title that suggested he was king of the English. (In reality, there was no King Richard from England before King Richard Lionhearted ascended to the throne some 400 years later.)

Richard was from Wessex, now part of England, and his real name is uncertain. He appears to have been an Anglo-Saxon chieftain or a Brittonic under-king in Wessex, probably of part of Brittonic Dumnonia. The Venerable Bede says he ruled the old British kingdom of Wessex from roughly 688 to 725.

His Family: A Dynasty of Holiness

Richard had many saints in his family. His brother-in-law was St. Boniface, the Archbishop of Mainz. His wife, Wuna, was a relative of St. Boniface. This connection to the great "Apostle to the Germans" would prove providential for the future missionary work of Richard's children.

He was the father of St. Willibald the Bishop of Eichstätt, St. Winnebald the Abbot of Heidenheim, and St. Walburga the Abbess of Heidenheim. This extraordinary spiritual patrimony—four members of one family officially recognized as saints—stands as one of the most remarkable testaments to the power of Christian family life in the Church's history.

Richard and Wuna clearly raised their children in an atmosphere of deep faith, prayer, and commitment to God. The holiness that would flower so abundantly in the lives of Willibald, Winnebald, and Walburga was first planted and nurtured in the domestic church of their parents' home.

The Miracle at the Crucifix

One of the most touching episodes from Richard's life demonstrates both his faith and his love as a father. He obtained by his prayers the recovery of his three-year-old son Willibald, whom he laid at the foot of a great crucifix erected in a public place in Wessex when the child's life was despaired of in a grievous sickness.

Saint Willibald was ill as a child and he was near his deathbed. Saint Richard wrapped him in a blanket and placed him at the foot of a large crucifix where the child recovered. This act of faith—bringing his dying child to the foot of the Cross—reveals the depth of Richard's trust in God. He did not turn to pagan remedies or give way to despair, but instead brought his most precious treasure to Christ crucified, believing that the Lord who suffered for us would not abandon him in his hour of need.

This miracle would prove prophetic. The child whose life was preserved by the prayers of his father would go on to become one of the most influential missionaries and bishops of his age, helping to establish Christianity firmly in Germany and becoming the first Englishman to travel to the Holy Land.

The Call to Pilgrimage

According to tradition, St. Richard was an English nobleman—possibly a prince or even a minor king—who rejected his royal inheritance to embrace a life of simplicity, piety, and devotion to God. He was perhaps deprived of his inheritance by some revolution in the state, or he renounced it to be more at liberty to dedicate himself to the pursuit of Christian perfection.

Whether through political circumstances or personal choice, Richard came to the decision that would define the final chapter of his earthly life: he would undertake a pilgrimage to Rome and the Holy Land. This was no ordinary journey; it was a perilous undertaking across vast lands, fraught with dangers, and a profound act of devotion.

In the late 720s, St. Richard set out on a long pilgrimage. More precisely, in 720, he entrusted his eleven-year-old daughter Walpurga to the abbess of Wimborne in Dorset, renounced his estates, and set sail with his two sons from Hamblehaven near Southampton.

This decision reveals the totality of Richard's commitment to God. He did not simply go on a journey; he renounced his worldly possessions and inheritance, stripping himself of all earthly attachments. Yet he made careful provision for his daughter, ensuring she would receive a good Christian education in the monastery. This combination of radical abandonment to God's will and prudent care for his family's welfare demonstrates the balanced wisdom of a truly holy man.

What truly sets Richard apart is that he chose to undertake this sacred journey not alone, but with his two sons, Willibald and Winebald, then young men ready to embrace a life of religious service. As a father, he was not content to pursue holiness alone but desired to lead his sons on the path to sanctity. This pilgrimage would be both a physical journey to holy places and a spiritual journey toward deeper union with God—a journey father and sons would make together.

The Journey Through France

They landed in France and temporarily stayed in Rouen. He made a considerable stay at Rouen and made his devotions in the most holy places that lay in his way through France. From there, they set off on the pilgrimage route to Italy, where they prayed at shrines situated along the way.

The medieval pilgrimage routes were well-established paths dotted with churches, monasteries, and shrines. Richard and his sons would have stopped at each significant holy place, offering prayers and seeking the intercession of the saints. This journey was not mere tourism but a profound spiritual exercise, a walking prayer through the sacred geography of Christendom.

Death in Lucca

He died unexpectedly after developing a fever in Lucca, Tuscany, around the year 720 to 722 AD. Richard was struck down by a sudden illness, likely a fever or plague, which was a constant threat to travelers of the time.

He was 1,000 miles from home, on pilgrimage in a foreign land. During this journey, he fell sick and died in Lucca, Italy. The pilgrimage that was to have taken him to Rome and the Holy Land ended far short of its intended destination. Yet God's ways are not our ways, and what appeared to be an incomplete mission would become the beginning of something far greater.

He was buried in the Church of San Frediano, founded by the Irish monk Fridianus. St. Richard died at Lucca and was buried in the Church of St. Frigidian. This church, dedicated to an Irish saint, became the final resting place for this English nobleman—a beautiful symbol of the unity of the Celtic and Anglo-Saxon churches in their shared Catholic faith.

Miracles and Veneration

But instead of landing in an unmarked grave, far from anyone who would remember him, this king was venerated by the strangers around him. They buried him with reverence in their own basilica. Miracles were reported to have occurred at his tomb and a cult venerating him developed.

They prayed at the tomb of the foreign king, confident that he heard them from paradise. And he did. Miracles started to happen. Graces and answers to prayer flowed from the spot. The people of Lucca knew that Richard was a powerful saint sent to them by God.

A notable miracle often associated with him is one that allegedly occurred after his death. The story goes that a blind woman received her sight after praying at his tomb. Because of this, he is occasionally invoked for diseases of the eye. While historical documentation of this specific miracle is limited, the tradition reflects the consistent belief of the faithful that Richard's intercession was powerful.

Almost immediately, stories of his piety and the sanctity of his life began to circulate. The people of Lucca recognized him as a saint, a holy pilgrim who had sacrificed his life in pursuit of God.

The Legacy Lives On: His Saintly Children

The man's two sons, Willibald and Winebald, grew up to become important figures in the Church of the time, and both are remembered as saints, as is their sister, Walburga. The holiness displayed by his children encouraged more reverence for this pilgrim, even though his name was not recorded for history.

Saint Willibald: The Intrepid Traveler

After an attack of malaria, Willibald started from Rome in 724 with two companions on a trip to the Holy Land, passed the winter at Patara, and arrived at Jerusalem on November 11, 725. He was one of the most travelled Anglo-Saxons of his time, by his journeys to Rome, Cyprus, Syria, and above all Palestine. Here he visited comprehensively both the Holy Places associated with Christ and numerous communities of monks and hermits.

Willibald is known as the first English man to travel to the Holy Land, and the book of his travels, Hodoeporicon, written by St. Hunebrec, is the first known English travelogue. Willibald was captured by Saracens who thought him a spy but was eventually released and continued on to all of the holy places and then to Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey), where he visited numerous lauras, monasteries, and hermitages.

In 730, Willibald was back in Rome after a long stay in Constantinople. He chose to live at Monte Cassino, and under his reforming influence, formed by his monastic experience in England and Palestine, Benedict's own monastery, restored by Petronax in 717, entered on a new period of stable prosperity.

While on a visit to Rome, he met Pope St. Gregory III (r. 731-741), who sent him to Germany to assist his cousin St. Boniface in his important missionary endeavors. Boniface ordained him in 741 and soon appointed him bishop of Eichstätt, in Franconia. Willibald served as bishop for some four decades.

Saint Winnebald: The Monastic Founder

On his third visit to Rome, St. Boniface received a promise that Winnebald would go to Germany. Winnebald arrived in Thuringia on November 30, 740, and was ordained priest. Boniface brought him to Germany, ordained him and gave him charge of churches near Erfurt.

When Willibald became bishop of Eichstätt, he asked Winnebald to set up a double monastery (like Wimborne) at Heidenheim. With his brother he founded the double monastery of Heidenheim in 752. Winnebald was placed as abbot over the men, and his sister, St. Walburga, governed the female community.

Winnebald's body was found incorrupt eighteen years after his death. This miraculous preservation testified to the holiness of his life and increased devotion to him.

Saint Walburga: The Missionary Abbess

When her father set out for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with his sons, he entrusted 11-year-old Walburga to be under the care of the abbess of Wimborne. She was educated by the nuns at the monastery school at Wimborne. Later, Walburga became a nun there, remaining with the community for twenty-six years.

St. Boniface was the first missionary to call women to his aid. When Saint Boniface requested nuns to help him in the evangelization of pagan Germany, Walburga responded to that call. On the way to Germany, there was a terrible storm at sea. She knelt on the deck of the ship and prayed. The storm was calmed, prefiguring the many miracles she would work in Germany.

Beginning in 748, Walburga evangelized and healed pagans in what is now Germany with Saint Lioba, Saint Boniface, and her brothers. This mission was very successful. When Winnibald died, Willibald appointed Walburga to be in charge of both nuns and monks.

Because of her rigorous training, she was able to write her brother Winibald's vita and an account in Latin of his travels in Palestine. As a result, she is often called the first female author of both England and Germany.

In 893, Saint Walburga's body was found to be immersed in a mysterious sweet-smelling liquid. It was found to work miraculous healings. The liquid, called St. Walburga's oil, has flowed from her body ever since. This extraordinary phenomenon continues to this day, making Saint Walburga's shrine one of the most remarkable in all of Christendom.

The Family's Collective Impact

His legacy was further cemented by the extraordinary lives of his children. Willibald and Winebald, after burying their father, continued their pilgrimage to Rome and beyond, eventually becoming instrumental figures in the evangelization of Germany alongside Saint Boniface.

St. Richard's children became key figures in the country's Christianization. They worked alongside St. Boniface, the "Apostle to the Germans." Together, this holy family—through their preaching, teaching, monastic foundations, and miraculous signs—helped establish Christianity firmly in what is now southern Germany.

Relics and Places of Veneration

His relics were being publicly displayed in both Lucca and Eichstätt in the 12th century. Eventually St. Willibald his son had some of his relics moved to Eichstätt, where St. Willibald eventually became Bishop. Thus, Richard's remains are honored in two cities: the Italian city where he died and the German city where his son served as bishop.

St. Richard is depicted with the Blessed Mother and his three children at Eichstätt Cathedral. This beautiful artistic representation shows the holy family together, united in their love for Christ and His Church.

There is one church in England dedicated to him, St. Ricarius Church, Aberford. This lone English church stands as a memorial to a saint who, though he left his homeland never to return, is still remembered by his countrymen.

Canonization and Liturgical Honor

Finally, in 1622, Pope Gregory XV officially confirmed and extended his veneration to the universal Church, effectively canonizing him through what is known as "equipollent canonization," recognizing a long-standing and widespread cultus rather than going through the modern formal process.

His feast day is celebrated on February 7. On this day each year, Catholics around the world honor this humble pilgrim who became a saint not through spectacular miracles during his lifetime, but through quiet fidelity to God's will and the faithful raising of his children in the fear and love of the Lord.

Patronages

Saint Richard the Pilgrim is particularly revered as a patron of pilgrims, a poignant reminder of his own final journey. He is also invoked as patron of:

• Travelers
• The English in Lucca, Italy
• Some areas in Wessex (local tradition)
• Coaches, coachmen, carriage drivers, and motorists
• Families
• Those suffering from epilepsy and diseases of the eye

Spiritual Lessons from Saint Richard

Despite what little we know of him, St. Richard's memory is kept because he was a father who loved God and his children. To undertake such an arduous pilgrimage took great faith, and that faithfulness became a family trait carried on by his sons and daughter.

St. Richard is an example to parents who strive to encourage their children by their actions in their own life of faith. His life teaches us several profound spiritual truths:

The Primacy of Spiritual Fatherhood: Richard understood that his most important role was not as a nobleman or political leader but as a father responsible for the souls of his children. His greatest legacy was not lands or titles but three children who became saints.

The Power of Example: Richard did not merely tell his children about faith—he showed them. When he brought young Willibald to the foot of the crucifix, when he renounced his estates to go on pilgrimage, when he endured the hardships of travel for love of God, he was teaching his children lessons they would never forget.

Sacrifice for Higher Calling: Richard's willingness to leave behind worldly security and undertake a difficult pilgrimage demonstrates the Christian principle that we must be willing to sacrifice lesser goods for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

Trust in Divine Providence: Though Richard died before reaching his earthly destination, God's providence was at work. His death in Lucca became the occasion for miracles and the beginning of his veneration. His sons completed the pilgrimage and went on to even greater works.

The Vocation of Parents: Richard reminds us that parenthood is not merely a biological reality but a sacred vocation. Parents are called to be the first evangelizers of their children, to raise them in faith, and to lead them toward heaven.

Ordinary Holiness: Unlike many saints, Richard worked no spectacular miracles during his lifetime and left no written works. His holiness consisted in faithfully living out his vocation as a Christian father and pilgrim. This reminds us that sanctity is accessible to all who seek God with their whole hearts.

Relevance for Today's Families

In our modern age, when the Christian family is under unprecedented attack, Saint Richard the Pilgrim stands as a powerful witness to the transformative power of authentic Catholic family life. Consider what he accomplished:

• He raised three children who all became saints
• He instilled in them a love for pilgrimage and missionary work
• His family's collective impact on the evangelization of Germany was enormous
• His example of faith continues to inspire families nearly 1,300 years later

A man who abandoned worldly power to pursue sanctity and who raised three saints is no slouch. His devotion left an indelible impression on his offspring, and they brought many souls to Christ as a result.

Modern Catholic parents face different challenges than Richard did, but the fundamental task remains the same: to raise children who know, love, and serve God. Richard shows us that this is possible even in difficult circumstances, that the sacrifices required are worth making, and that the grace of God is sufficient for those who trust in Him.

Prayer to Saint Richard the Pilgrim

Lord, help us convert our hearts. Make us ever more perfect disciples, like St. Richard. Enable us to be shining lights for those in our care, and let them carry that light into the world and thereby bring others into your everlasting embrace of love.

O Saint Richard the Pilgrim, faithful father and servant of God, you left behind wealth and worldly honor to seek the treasures of heaven. You entrusted yourself and your sons to Divine Providence, setting out on a pilgrimage that would cost you your earthly life but win you eternal glory.

Though you did not reach Rome or the Holy Land in the flesh, your spirit reached heights far greater. Through your prayers, your son was healed at the foot of the Cross. Through your example, your children learned to love God above all things. Through your sacrifice, countless souls in Germany came to know Christ.

Intercede for us, holy pilgrim, that we may follow your example of faith. Pray especially for all fathers, that they may lead their families in the way of holiness. Pray for all who are on pilgrimage, whether physical journeys to holy places or the spiritual pilgrimage of this earthly life toward our heavenly homeland.

Help us to trust in God's providence as you did, to make whatever sacrifices are necessary for the sake of the Kingdom, and to raise our children in the fear and love of the Lord. May our families, like yours, become schools of sanctity where future saints are formed.

Through your intercession and the prayers of your holy children Willibald, Winnebald, and Walburga, may we persevere in faith, grow in charity, and one day join you in the eternal Jerusalem, where all pilgrims find their rest in God.

Saint Richard the Pilgrim, father of saints and patron of families, pray for us. Amen.

Eichstätt Cathedral, Central Shrine of the high altar in the east choir. Our Lady with the Child, St. Willibald and  St. Walburga,  St. Richard and St.Wunibald

Source : Wikipedia

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