WILFRID, or WILPRITH, Saint, Anglo Saxon prelate: h. about 634; d. Oundle. North amptonshire, 709. He studied at Lindisfarne. became a monk, and in 653 accompanied Bene dict Biscop to Rome in order to obtain an authoritative answer to the question of the proper time for celebrating F.aster. On his re turn he obtained from Alchfrid, king of Northumbria, a grant of land and a monastery at Ripon, and here he was ordained priest in 064 In this same year he took a leading part in the conference at Whitby, where he per niaded the king to decree that, in the cele bration of Faster, the Roman u'aee should be substituted for that of the Scottish Church, which had hitherto presailed in Northumbria. At tin' time also the king appointed him arch bishop of York but having gone to France to he coniecrated by a bishop holding orthodox views on the Easter question, be found on his return that his see was occupied by one of the opposite party, and he did not get possession till 669. Becoming obnoxious to King Egfrid (who had succeeded Alchfrid in 670), the king, to reduce his influence, divided his diocese into three, and when Wilfrid opposed this proceed ing, .deprived him of his see altogether (678).
%Vilfrid thereupon set out for Rome to obtain from the Pope a reversal of the Icing's act of deposition. Having been driven by a storm on the coast of Friesland, he preached to the people (who had no difficulty in understanding the Anglo-Saxon) with such effect that all the princes and many thousands of thele offered themselves for baptism. Having reached Rome he easily obtained from the Pope the desired decision, but during the reign of Egfrid remained under persecution or in exile; in 687, however, Aldfrid, who had suc ceeded Edfrid, reinstated him. But Aldfrid also in course of time was offended by his de votion to Rome. and Wilfrid was again de posed in 691. He then made another journey to Rome. and did not return till 705. Consuh Eddis. 'Vita \Vilfridi,' in 'Historians of York' (Vol. 1, 'Rolls Series') ; Bright, 'Early hsh Church History' (3d ed, 1897); Hunt. 'The English Church from its Foundation to the Norman Conquest' (1899).