Litany of Saints
Picture: Franz NiedermaierHeiligenlexikon.de Bild wurde freundlicherweise vom ÖHL "gemeinfrei gestellt" · CC BY-SA 2.0 de · Wikimedia Commons

Willibald

8th century bishop and saint

SaintResearchedKingdom of WessexBenedictinesPre-congregation

Feast: 7 July (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)

Born
21 October 700
verified
Died
786
Beatified
not needed: before formal processes
Canonised
By tradition
recognised before formal processes began

Who they were

Willibald, son of St Richard and kinsman of St Boniface, entered an English abbey at five. In 722 he went to Rome with his father and brother, and from 724 made a long pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Constantinople and Monte Cassino.

In 740 Pope Gregory III sent him to Germany, where St Boniface ordained him and in 741 consecrated him bishop; he became the first Bishop of Eichstätt. He died on 7 July, in 781 or 787.

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 pilgrim who became the first bishop of Eichstätt.

Connected on this site

  • Richard the Pilgrim Saint Parent, Father
    “Willibald's father was Richard the Pilgrim, and his mother Wuna of Wessex.” — Wikipedia
  • Saint Walpurga Saint Brother or sister
  • Winibald Saint Brother or sister
  • Wuna of Wessex Saint Parent, Mother
    “Willibald's father was Richard the Pilgrim, and his mother Wuna of Wessex.” — Wikipedia
Sources

Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.

All saints · About this site · Report a mistake on this page