William of Norwich
12th-century English boy whose murder was blamed on Jews / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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William of Norwich (died c. 22 March 1144) was an apprentice who lived in the English city of Norwich. He suffered a violent death during Easter 1144. The city's French-speaking Jewish community was blamed for his death, but the crime was never solved.
Saint William (cult suppressed) | |
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Born | Norwich, Kingdom of England |
Died | c.22 March 1144(1144-03-22) (aged 12) Thorpe Wood, Norwich |
Venerated in | Folk Catholicism |
Canonized | Never officially canonised. |
Feast | 26 March (removed from the Universal Calendar) |
Attributes | Depicted holding nails, with nail wounds or undergoing crucifixion |
Catholic cult suppressed | After the Congregation for the Causes of Saints |
William became venerated as a Christian saint in Norfolk, when the priors of Norwich Cathedral promoted stories of his death in odium fidei "out of hatred of the faith". William is the first known example of a medieval blood libel.
The only detailed information about William is from the Norwich Benedictine monk Thomas of Monmouth, who wrote The Life and Miracles of St William of Norwich in 1150.