Celebrations will mark saint’s 1,000th birthday

Celebrations start tomorrow when a very special peal of bells will be ringing across the city from Worcester Cathedral from 10am to 2pm. On Sunday, the anniversary of his birth will be marked at the 10.30 am Sung Eucharist in Worcester Cathedral.

Taking part will be the combined cathedral choirs, and the preacher will be the Bishop of Dudley, the Rt Rev David Walker who will also open the north side of the Crypt as a place of pilgrimage.

But who was St Wulfstan?

He lived a long life of devotion, sacrifice and care of the poor through the 11th century from 1008 to 1095. He was Prior of the Worcester Monastery for 20 years and then the beloved Bishop of Worcester for 33 years until his death at the age of 87.

In 1084, St Wulfstan had built a great Norman cathedral at Worcester - the basis of today's magnificent city landmark - and also promoted the building of other churches, the most notable of his foundations being Malvern Priory.

He also set up Wulfstan's Hospital outside the City Walls in Sidbury for the benefit of visitors arriving late at night when the city gates were closed.

The historic Commandery, of later construction, stands on the site today. Both during his lifetime and afterwards, "miracles" were attributed to St Wulfstan.

Though Wulfstan is popularly known as Worcester's own saint, he was not actually born in the county but at Long Itchington, Warwickshire, son to Ethelstan and Wulfgife who both entered religious houses at Worcester in later life.

Wulfstan was educated at the monastic school in Evesham and then taken into the household of Bishop Britheah at Worcester, earning his keep as a very talented writer and illuminator of books. In 1033, when in his 20s, he was ordained deacon and then priest, but rather than go out to a lucrative parish he chose to don the habit of a monk, joining Britheah's 20-strong community of monks at Worcester.

In 1043 he was elected by the monks as their Prior. He lived a frugal life of self-denial. He travelled around the countryside baptising the children of the poor for free.

On September 3, 1062, Wulfstan was consecrated Bishop of Worcester, his brother Aelstan being elected to replace him as Prior. Wulfstan's elevation was enthusiastically greeted by the nobility including Earl Harold (of 1066 fame) and Earl Leofric and Lady Godiva but, as bishop, he still retained his own spartan style of living. He travelled far and wide preaching, confirming and promoting the building of churches and was a friend of the Scottish royal family and confessor also to King Harold II and his family.

After the defeat of Harold at Hastings, Wulfstan declared his allegiance to William the Conqueror and was allowed to remain as Bishop, enabling him to maintain Anglo-Saxon values at his cathedral in Worcester. Wulfstan found a special place in local people's affections and was famed for his healing and prophetic abilities. Wulfstan proceeded to enlarge greatly the Worcester monastery, quadrupling the number of his Benedictine monks to 80.

In 1084, Wulfstan set in train the building of a Norman cathedral at Worcester, "weeping as he watched the gradual disappearance of Oswald's humbler building." The most significant part of St Wulfstan's Cathedral which survives to this day is the Crypt.

Another task undertaken by this energetic bishop was the overseeing of the Domesday Book Survey of the County of Worcester.

Wulfstan had his own small private army of 25 armed soldiers, augmented when necessary by volunteers from the surrounding countryside. In 1088, remaining faithful to the King, they joined with the men of Sheriff, Urse of Abitot when the Earl of Hereford, Roger de Lacy and his Welsh allies marched against Worcester.

The "miracle" which followed perhaps owed more, however, to a heavy mist which arose on the Severn meadows and caused the enemy, in unfamiliar territory, to split up into small groups. The Worcester men slew de Lacy's forces wholesale and thus repelled the invasion.

He died on January 19, 1095 and was buried with great general mourning in his beloved cathedral. He was immediately declared a Saint, although not canonised until 1203 by Pope Innocent III.

The bodies of St Wulfstan and St Oswald were transferred to shrines in Worcester Cathedral and throughout the Middle Ages many thousands of pilgrims, including several kings, came to pray before St Wulsftan's shrine and soon miracles were recorded.

Alas, at the Reformation and Dissolution of the Monasteries, Wulfstan's and Oswald's shrines and tombs were destroyed.

Their bones were covered in lead and then buried near the High Altar of the Cathedral.

SIGNIFICANT DATES IN THE LIFE OF SAINT WULFSTAN1008: Wulfstan was born in at Long Itchington, Warwickshire, son to Ethelstan and Wulfgife.

1033: Wulfstan was ordained as a deacon and then a priest. He joined Britheah's 20-strong community of monks at Worcester.

1043: He was elected by the monks as their Prior.

September 3, 1062: Wulfstan was consecrated Bishop of Worcester.

1066: After the defeat of Harold at the Battle of Hastings, Wulfstan declared his allegiance to William the Conqueror, enabling him to maintain Anglo-Saxon values at his Cathedral in Worcester.

1084: Wulfstan set in train the building of a Norman cathedral at Worcester. The Crypt of St Wulfstan's Cathedral survives to this day.

1088: Wulfstan and his own small army of 25 men joined with the men of Sheriff, Urse of Abitot, when the Earl of Hereford and his Welsh allies marched against Worcester, repelling the invasion.

January 19, 1095: Wulfstan died and was immediately declared a Saint.

1203: Wulfstan was canonised by Pope Innocent III and his body transferred to a shrine in Worcester Cathedral.