Saint Etheldreda of Ely
Saint Etheldreda stands between two husbands — a silent witness to grace and struggle, bearing the quiet weight of her journey. This scene is allegorical — a symbolic portrayal uniting key moments and relationships from her life.
Saint Etheldreda (c. 636–679), also known as Æthelthryth, Æðelþryð, Æþelðryþe, or Saint Audrey, was born a daughter of the East Anglian royal house. Though married twice—first for alliance, then again under family pressure—she maintained her vow of virginity throughout both unions. Her second husband, King Ecgfrith of Northumbria, at last allowed her to withdraw, and she entered monastic life with joy.
She founded a double monastery at Ely, becoming its abbess and spiritual mother. Revered for her purity, wisdom, and generosity, Etheldreda’s incorrupt body was discovered years after her death, and her shrine became a place of pilgrimage for centuries.
Her feast is kept on June 23 in the Roman calendar.