The New Murrey and Blue blog

Well, in the present day there is a great deal of discussion about sexuality, but here is something from way back that is perhaps appropriate.

“….On the walls of the Church of St. Mary’s Church in the Norfolk village of Worstead, there appears a very odd icon. Although faded and somewhat damaged by the iconoclasts of the English Reformation, it shows a young woman in a crown and flowing gown hanging from a cross. An icon of a crucified woman is unusual in itself. However, what makes it even odder is the artist has depicted the young woman with a very long beard. This bearded lady is known as St Uncumber. However, she is a just one local version of a patron saint who was popular across Europe in the Middle Ages. That saint’s name was St. Wilgefortis….”

You can read about the image in the Worstead church at this link, from which the above illustration is taken.

And apparently “….The English knew her as St Uncumber. According to Thomas More, the sixteenth-century writer, and statesman, women believed that ‘for a pecke of oats she will not faile to uncumber them of their husbondys’…”

Hers is a sad story….and with a father like hers, who needed enemies. You can read more about her here.

Well, I suppose in the days when divorce was well nigh impossible if you didn’t have the clout to bribe the Pope, you’d resort to anything that might work. If there was a saint who looked kindly upon your particular plight, then you would turn to her/him. I wonder if she actually answered the pleas?