CatholicSaints.Info

Also known as

• Verenfrido
• Werenfrid
• Werenfried

Memorial

• 14 August (Elst, Netherlands)
• 27 August (Emmerich, Netherlands)
• 8 November on some calendars
• 28 August on some calendars

Profile

Benedictine monk. He studied and lived as a hermit in Ireland. Missionary priest to the Frisians (in the modern Netherlands) and the area of modern northern France, not just preaching and teaching but living a life prayer and piety, and helping the poor and suffering. Worked with Saint Willibrord of Echternach and Saint Swithbert.

Born

• 8th century Northumbria, England

Died

• c.780 in Westeroort, Netherlands of natural causes
• his coffin was pushed out onto the waters of the river Rhine, and he was buried where it came ashore – in Elst, Netherlands
• the incident is still commemorated on the Overbetuwe province coat of arms
• at the site; a series of churches have stood on the grave site, the latest built in 1875
• his tomb became the site of healing, especially of gout, and pilgrimages
• most relics burned by Protestants in 1588
• relics re-enshrined in the Jesuit church in Emmerich, Germany in 1664

Canonized

• Pre-Congregation
• Bishop Baldric of Utrecht, Netherlands included Saint Werenfridus in the litanies of the diocese in the 10th century

Patronage

• against arthritis pain
• against gout
• against stiff joints
• –
• gardeners
• –
• in the Netherlands
  • Arnhem
  • Elst
  • Westeroort

Representation

• priest holding a boat containing a coffin
• priest vested for Mass holding a ship with a coffin in it
• dead priest laid in a ship
• coffin floating on a waterway

MLA Citation

• “Saint Werenfridus“. CatholicSaints.Info. 8 December 2023. Web. 18 May 2024. <>