Picture: Anonymous; incorporated into book by illustrator George Cowley Haddon (c.1839-1885). · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Æthelberht II
Saint and king of East Anglia
SaintResearchedKingdom of East AngliaPre-congregation
Feast: 20 May (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Born
800
Died
794
verified
Beatified
—
not needed: before formal processes
Canonised
By tradition
recognised before formal processes began
Who they were
Ethelbert, King of the East Angles, was brought up in piety and was known for humility; he preferred celibacy but agreed to seek the hand of King Offa's daughter.
At Offa's court, through the queen's hatred, he was bound and beheaded in 794. His body was later taken to Hereford Cathedral, where many miracles attested his holiness.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.
Why that counted as sanctity
A humble king treacherously killed.
Connected on this site
- Ælfthryth of Crowland Saint“Ælfthryth was "either betrothed to or loved by" Æthelberht II, the king of the East Angles.” — Wikipedia
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Ethelbert
- Wikidata Q272180 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Æthelberht II of East Anglia (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.