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Life of St Wilfrid

Eddius Stephanus, tr. Colgrave, 1927

9. How He Was Ordained Priest by Bishop Agilberht

In those days came Agilberht, a foreign bishop, on a visit to King Oswiu and to Alhfrith his son. King Alhfrith told him about St Wilfrid the abbot who had come from the Apostolic See and what was reported to himself by those who knew him, namely that he was a humble and peaceable man, given to fastings and prayers, kind, sober, discreet, compassionate, full of the power and grace of God, modest, prudent, not given to wine, teachable and able to teach, in conversation pure and frank. “So,” said he, “I ask you to bestow upon him the order of priesthood and that he may be my inseparable companion.” Then the bishop answered him in the spirit of prophecy, “Such a man ought surely to become a bishop,” and in accordance with the king’s commands he ordained him priest at Ripon. And thus as David was chosen of God while a boy and anointed by Samuel and, after many tribulations, was judged worthy to receive the gift of prophecy, so St Wilfrid the priest, after many blessings from the saints of God, received so many gifts in the presence of God and men that no one can enumerate them. For God who upheld him in the days of his poverty was the giver of them.