Swithun Forecast

I

t's St Swithun’s Day and some us may be looking upwards! Swithun was Bishop of Winchester in the ninth century. Little is known about his life but he appears to have been the trusted adviser of Egbert, king in Wessex. He had asked to be buried 'humbly' and not in a great shrine and, when he died on 2 July 862, his request was fulfilled. However, when a new cathedral was being built, Ethelwold, the new bishop, decided to move Swithun's remains into a shrine in the cathedral, despite dire warnings that to move the bones would bring about terrible storms. He was duly translated on this day in t

he year 971 and, though many cures were claimed and other miracles observed, it apparently rained for forty days, as forecast. So the feast-day of Swithun became synonymous with long, summer storms, rather than as an occasion for celebrating Christian simplicity and holiness!

Almighty God,

by whose grace we celebrate

the feast of your servant Swithun:

grant that, as he governed with gentleness

the people committed to his care,

so we, rejoicing in our Christian inheritance,

may always seek to build up your Church

in unity and love;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.