Saint Winebald lived between 701 and 761. He was a Saxon prince and his family was a holy and royal family of England. His parents were both saints; Saint Richard the king was his father and Saint Wunna of Wessex was his mother. His brother, Saint Willibald and his sister, Saint Walburga, and his uncle Saint Boniface were also saints. He made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with his father and brother and stayed for many years in Rome. After this, he was asked by Saint Boniface, his uncle, to help him evangelise Germany. Saint Winebald became a priest and started his work as a missionary in Germany, Holland, France, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg. He left many churches and monasteries under the Rule of Saint Benedict. He became known as helping to lay the foundations of Christianity in Europe and his tomb was a place of pilgrimage after he died.
Wunibald, as depicted in Pontifikale Gundekarianum (de), 11th century |