St Richard of Chichester – Our Patron

St Richard of Chichester
Bishop of Chichester
Died – 3rd April 1253

Also known as: Richard de Wych, Richard Backedine, Richard of Wych.

Memorial: 3rd April, celebrated 16th June.

Profile: Second son of Richard and Alice de Wych. His father died when he was young and the family fell upon hard times. He took over management of the estates and brought them back. Educated at Oxford, Paris and Bologna. Chancellor of Oxford. Legal advisor to Saint Edmund Rich and Saint Boniface of Savoy, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Priest. Bishop of Chichester.

Whilst serving as a Priest and Bishop, Richard was known for living a very simple and strict life. He was an ascetic, meaning he avoided luxuries. He wore a rough hair-shirt and refused to eat from silver dishes. His diet was simple, and he strictly avoided meat, having been a vegetarian since his time at Oxford.

During his time as Bishop of Chichester, he regularly travelled around the whole of the Diocese, visiting different parishes and preaching. Richard walked on foot, reaching out to the people in his diocese and offering his assistance to the poor.

Miracles:

Chalice: During a mass, Richard dropped the chalice onto the floor and although it was filled with consecrated wine, nothing was spilled.

Candle: While a procession was taking place in the open, a strong wind blew out all the candles others were holding, but Bishop Richard’s candle did not blow out.

After his death, a special shrine was built for Richard at Chichester cathedral. It was beautifully decorated and became a popular place for pilgrimage, where people travelled to show their faith. It is said that many miracles and cures occurred at his shrine in Chichester. In 1262, just nine years after his death, he was made a saint by Pope Urban IV.

St. Richard of Chichester is the patron saint of Sussex in southern England and his Feast Day is June 16. This date was originally chosen because it is the day when St Richard of Chichester's body was moved to a shrine behind the high altar in the Cathedral in 1276. Since 2007, his special day has also been celebrated as Sussex Day.

Born: 1197 as Richard de Wych of Droitwich, Worcestershire, England.

Died: 3rd April 1253 at Dover, England.

Canonized: 1262 by Pope Urban IV.

Patronage: Patron saint of Sussex.

Representation: Bishop with a chalice on its side at his feet because he once dropped the chalice during a Mass and nothing spilled from it; kneeling with the chalice before him; ploughing his brother’s fields; a bishop blessing his flock with a chalice nearby.