English saint and groundhog share something

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

	St. Swithin When: died July 2, 862 Where: England What: Bishop Feast: July 15

What do Feb. 2 and July 15 have in common?

Legend says that the weather on those days will determine conditions for the following 40 days. Thus, if the groundhog sees his shadow on Feb. 2 there will be six more weeks of winter and, foul or fair, the weather in England on July 15, St. Swithin's Day, will stay the same for 40 more days.

So who was St. Swithin (also known as Swithun) and why should he have so much say over the climate of England?

This 9th century saint was born in Wessex, England, and educated at the Old Monastery in Winchester. After his ordination, he served as chaplain to King Egbert of the West Saxons. Egbert made Swithin a counselor and tutor of his son, Ethelwulf.

In 852, after Ethelwulf succeeded Egbert as king, Swithin became the bishop of Winchester. He was ordained as a bishop by Abp. Ceolnoth of Canterbury. As bishop, he was known for helping the poor, for his humility and for building several churches.

Swithin died on July 2, 862. In keeping with his wishes, his body was buried outside the north wall of the Winchester cathedral so passers-by would walk over his grave and rain from the eaves could drop on it. Here it remained until July 15, 971 (or 984, according to another source), when the monks at Winchester decided to move Swithin's remains inside the church.

Tradition says it rained all day, and for the next 40, as Swithin's way of showing his displeasure over the move. Fact or fiction, this superstition is recalled in the verse: "St. Swithin's day, if ye do rain, / For forty days it will remain; / St. Swithin's day, and ye be fair, / For forty days 'twill rain nae mair."

Nevertheless, after his grave was moved numerous miracles were attributed to Swithin, who was popularly proclaimed a saint. His remains were moved - or translated - again in 1093 to a shrine in a newly built cathedral. The shrine to St. Swithin was destroyed and his relics were scattered in 1538 during the Protestant Reformation.

After Swithin's death, Winchester continued to grow in importance. A Benedictine monastery, named after Swithin, was famous in the 12th century for the illustrated manuscripts made by the monks, including the Winchester Bible.