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William of Perth
Scottish saint
SaintResearchedPre-congregation
Feast: 23 May (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Born
1150
Died
1201
verified
Beatified
—
not needed: before formal processes
Canonised
1256
by Pope Alexander IV
Who they were
William of Perth, a baker who turned from a wild youth to serve God, gave every tenth loaf to the poor, went to Mass daily, and adopted an abandoned child.
On pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he was murdered near Rochester by his adopted son about 1201. The monks of Rochester buried him in their cathedral.
The miracles
The Catholic Encyclopedia does not describe the miracles approved in the cause.
Why that counted as sanctity
A charitable baker killed by the boy he had rescued.
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. William of Perth
- Wikidata Q8020899 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — William of Perth (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.