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Venerable

Ermenilda of Ely

Queen of Mercia and later abbess of Ely, reposed around 700.

Feast
February 13old style February 26
Reposed
7007th century
Place
Ely

Life

Saint Ermenilda of Ely, also called Ermengild or Eormenhild, was a queen of Mercia and then abbess of Ely in England, and she reposed around 700.

She was a daughter of King Erconbert of Kent and Saint Seaxburh of Ely. She married Wulfhere, king of Mercia, and had by him Saint Werburgh and Coenred. After her husband's death, in 675, she became a nun and rose to be abbess of Minster-⁠in-⁠Sheppey, which her mother had founded, and then abbess of Ely. There are almost no contemporary records for her life; her name appears as an abbess in a charter of King Wihtred dated 699.

She is a saint of the undivided Church, commemorated on 13 February (new style).

Commemorated the same day February 13