Egbert, Saint

Egbert, Saint was born in the 7th century. He was a monk in the convent of Rathmelsing, and in 644, when seized with the plague, he made a vow that, in case of recovery, he would leave his country and preach the Gospel among the pagans. He accordingly set out as a missionary for Germany, but was by a tempest compelled to return. He then took up his abode among the monks of the island of Hy, from where he sent as missionaries to Friesland, first, the learned monk Wictbert, and, when this one returned after two years of fruitless labor, twelve Anglo-Saxons. Egbert had a prominent share in kindling that remarkable missionary zeal which distinguished the Anglo- Saxons in the 8th century. He introduced, in 716, into the monastery of Hy the Roman manner of celebrating Easter, and the Roman tonsure. He died in 729. — Beda, Hist. Eccl. Angl. 3:27; 5:10, 11, 23; Herzog, Real- Encykl. 3:658. (A.J.S.)