The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

LEGEND OF SAINT WILGEFORTES

SAINT WILGEFORTES WAS THE 12TH CHILD OF 13 CHILDREN ALL
BORN AT THE SAME TIME TO THE QUEEN OF PORTUGAL. WILGEFORTES
GREW UP TO BE PRETTY, INTELLIGENT, AND A GOOD CHRISTIAN.
HER FATHER HAD HER BETROTHED TO THE KING OF SARDINIA WHO
WAS A PAGAN. SHE HAD VOWED HER VIRGINITY TO CHRIST, THAT
SHE MIGHT NOT MARRY ANYONE, MUCH LESS A PAGAN. THE KING OF
SARDINIA ARRIVED IN GREAT GLORY FOR THE NUPTIALS AND THAT
NIGHT DURING THE FEAST AS WELL AS INTO THE WEE HOURS INTO
THE MORNING, WILGEFORTES PRAYED TO GOD TO PRESERVE HER
VIRGINITY. GOD HEARD HER PRAYERS AND SHE GREW A FULL BEARD.
THE KING OF SARDINIA WAS HORRIFIED AND DECIDED HE HAD
SOMETHING BETTER TO DO. HE SAILED OFF IN HIS SHIPS.
WILGEFORTES' FATHER WAS SO FURIOUS THAT HE HAD HER TIED
TO A CROSS AND CRUCIFIED HER. HER IMAGE IS THAT OF A BEARDED
LADY ON A CROSS. SAINT THOMAS MORE WROTE THAT SINCE SHE
WAS KNOWN AS A PATRONNESS OF WOMEN WHO "WERE ENCUMBERED" (SIC)
WITH TROUBLESOME HUSBANDS, HER SHRINE WAS "MUCH FREQUENTED
BY THE MATRONS OF LONDON."

Submitter comment: THIS LEGEND IS AN ATTEMPT BY PEOPLE OF CERTAIN TIMES TO
UNDERSTAND THE OBJECTS OF DEVOTION OF AN EARLIER AGE.
THE FIRST CROSSES OF THE CHURCH WERE HEAVILY JEWELLED
AND ORNAMENTED TO FORGET THE HORROR OF THE CRUCIFIXION,
AND GRADUALLY THEY BEGAN TO PUT THE FIGURE OF CHRIST ON THE
CROSS REIGNING IN GLORY AND MIGHT. LITTLE BY LITTLE AS
STYLES OF PIETY CHANGED, PEOPLE BEGAN TO TAKE OFF THE
ROYAL VESTMENTS. THE CROWNS WERE REMOVED, PRIESTLY
ROBES TAKEN AWAY. THE PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FOR A MORE
REALISTIC VERSION UNTIL CHRISTIANS GOT TO CHRIST IN
AGONY. IN THE MIDDLE AGES, PEOPLE COULD UNDERSTAND CHRIST
AS KING OR IN AGONY, BUT THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
THAT OF A BEARDED PERSON ON THE CROSS ALIVE, SO THEY
INVENTED SAINT UNCUMBER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Date learned: 10-17-1983