St. Winebald

Biography

St. Winebald (c. 701–761), also spelled Wunibald or Winnibald, was born in Wessex, in southern England. He was the son of a devout Anglo-Saxon family honored in tradition as St. Richard, and the brother of St. Willibald and St. Walburga; tradition holds that they were related to St. Boniface. Around 721 Winebald set out on pilgrimage to Rome with his father and brother. His father died on the way, at Lucca, and when the brothers fell ill in Rome, Willibald went on to the Holy Land while Winebald stayed to study. He later returned to England, then went back to Rome to take up the religious life. Around 739 Boniface invited him to the German mission. Ordained a priest, Winebald worked in Thuringia, where he was given charge of several churches, and later in Bavaria and around Mainz. Seeking a more monastic life, he joined his brother Willibald, now bishop of Eichstätt, and in the 750s founded a double monastery for men and women at Heidenheim, becoming its abbot. He worked to root out pagan customs in the region and to train clergy. Often in poor health, he died at Heidenheim on December 18, 761. His sister Walburga then led the community. An account of the brothers' lives was written by Hugeburc, a nun of Heidenheim who knew them. His relics were later venerated in Eichstätt.

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