Free patronal Eucharist service at Christ Church Cathedral to honour St Frideswide, the patron saint and founder of Oxford.
Christ Church Cathedral is holding a patronal Eucharist for St Frideswide's Day on Tuesday 20 October, starting at 6.05 pm. It's a service that celebrates the cathedral's patron saint, Frideswide, and if you've spent any time in Oxford, her name is one of those that crops up more often than you might expect.
Frideswide was an abbess who is the patron saint of both the city and the University of Oxford, and she's traditionally regarded as the city's founder. The 'patronal' part of the title just means it's a service dedicated to the saint the church is named after, so this is the main day of the year for her. The Eucharist is the central act of worship, and the whole thing takes place inside the cathedral, which is where Frideswide's shrine is kept.
If you're not familiar with the name, it's worth remembering that she's not just a figure for the church—she's tied into the very identity of the place. Between her role as patron of the city and the university, she's a link that stretches across the two sides of Oxford life. The service is a way of marking that connection, and it's open to anyone who wants to come along.
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It's on Tuesday 20 October at 6.05 pm at Christ Church Cathedral, on Christ Church St Aldate's, OX1 1DP. Entry is free, so there's nothing to book in advance—you can just turn up.
