Willehad was born in Northumbria and probably received his education at York under Bishop Ecgbert. He was ordained about the year 766 and went to Frisia, to continue the missionary work of St Boniface who had been Martyred by the Frisians in 754.

From 780, Willehad preached in the region of the lower Weser River on commission from Charlemagne. He barely escaped with his life when the Frisians wanted to kill him, and he returned to the area around Utrecht. Once again, he and his fellow missionaries barely escaped with their lives, when the local pagans wanted to kill them for destroying some temples.

In 780, Charlemagne sent him to evangelise the Saxons. He preached to them for two years but, in 782, the Saxons under Widukind, rebelled against Charlemagne and Willehad was forced to flee to Frisia. He took the opportunity to travel to Rome, where he reported to Pope Adrian I on his work.

Upon his return from Rome, Willehad retired for a time to the Monastery of Echternach, in present-day Luxembourg. He spent two years there reassembling his missionary team.

After Charlemagne’s conquest of the Saxons, Willehad preached in the region around the lower Elbe and the lower Weser. In 787 Willehad was Consecrated Bishop and that part of Saxony and Friesland, near the mouth of the Weser, was assigned to him for his Diocese.

Willehad died in Blexen-upon-Weser, today a part of Nordenham. He is buried in the City’s Cathedral, which he Consecrated shortly before his death on 8 November 789.

Other Saints of the Day
* Saint Castorius
* Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity
* Saint Joseph Nghi
* Saint Martin Tho
* Saint Paul Ngan