#DownsideAbbeyChurch

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St Wulstan's Day

19th January is the Feast Day of St Wulstan, the patron Saint of vegetarians and dieters. This is due to his being distracted at Mass one day by the smell of a cooking goose, after which event he swore never to eat meat again. This moment is depicted in a stained glass window here at Downside Abbey, shown below.

St Wulstan or Wulfstan, was Bishop of Worcester and was born c. 1008. He was the last pre-Norman Conquest Bishop to hold his position. He studied at monasteries in Evesham and Peterborough and was persuaded to join the priesthood, being ordained in 1038 and joining a community of Benedictine monks at Worcester.  

Whilst Prior of Worcester he restored its fortunes, and William I noted his dedication to pastoral care of his diocese, which was probably the reason he kept his position after 1066. St Wulstan was also a fierce opponent to the slave trade and helped to stop the transport of slaves from Bristol to Viking Ireland.

Professor David Knowles, one time monk of Downside wrote of St Wulstan, 'He is indeed a most attractive figure, too little known to his countrymen...; the last, and certainly one of the greatest, of the early bishops of pure English blood and culture.' St Wulstan died in 1095 and was canonized in 1203 by Pope Innocent III.

The Downside parish of Little Malvern has its parish church dedicated to St Wulstan, and a book was written on the history of the parish and can be bought through this link. http://www.downside.co.uk/shop/abbey-book-shop/st-wulstans-little-malvern-a-history/

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Monastic Librarians of Downside

Dom Laurence Vrignon 1822-1876

Dom Laurence Vrignon was born in Calcutta, India and was taught initially at Stonyhurst before coming to Downside. He was in the school from 1834-1840, and then gained a degree from London University in 1845. He was clothed as a monk in 1843.

Dom Laurence was appointed master in the college in 1847 and was also organist from this time. He left Downside to study at Subiaco in Italy, 1850, and returned in 1854. 1857-58 he was prefect of studies in the school, and held this role again from 1862-66.

In 1857 he was ordained as a priest and became librarian in 1862, remaining in this position until 1866. He was also guestmaster 1864-65 and 1867-68.

Dom Laurence, tragically, was drowned in the swimming bath at Downside in 1876. It is thought that he either had a fit, or not being a strong swimmer had developed cramp and was unable to get out of the water. The Chapel of St Laurence in the abbey church was built in his memory and dedicated to St Laurence by his mother and brothers.