Not much is known about St Swithun. The most famous story about him is a legend dating from a later era. Swithun had promoted the building of a new bridge across the River Itchen near the city’s East Gate. One day a woman, carrying a basket of eggs she hoped to sell at market, was harassed by a group of workers on the bridge, the eggs fell to the ground, and her source of income lay smashed around her feet. Swithun was passing by. He prayed and blessed the eggs, and miraculously they were mended, The woman was able to pick them up and she went on her way to market.
Doubtless, the story was intended to impress upon the hearer Swithun’s saintliness. And Swithun’s concern with bridges – points of access and welcome – and Swithun’s concern for those who’ve lost their livelihood continue to inspire us today. On a side note, the clergy of Winchester Cathedral always have eggs for breakfast together on Monday morning.
Of course, the other thing everyone knows about St Swithun is that if it rains on his day, 15th July, it will rain for the next 40 days. As the rhyme says, ‘St. Swithun’s day if thou dost rain for forty days it will remain; St. Swithun’s day if thou be fair for forty days ’twill rain nae mair.’ An association is often made between this legend and the history of Swithun’s burial. Buried first outside, his remains were brought into the so-called ‘Old Minister’ in the 10th century, and then into the new Cathedral (the present building) in the 11th century, and finally were placed in a magnificent shrine in the 15th century. The rain is a sign of Swithun’s disapproval at being brought inside: he wanted the rain to fall on his grave!
Beyond all these legends, Swithun matters because he has inspired a constant stream of pilgrims to make the journey to Winchester and to pray at his shrine. The shrine was destroyed in the 16th century, and its site is now marked by a canopy. But pilgrims still arrive with their prayers and longings – bold to bring their needs and gratitude to God in this holy place. One of the privileges of being Dean of Winchester is praying with pilgrims either arriving at the destination of their journey or departing on pilgrimage to Canterbury.
And I hope that you also will come this July as a pilgrim to this holy place.
