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Richard of Chichester (1197 – 3 April 1253), also known as Richard de Wych, is a saint (canonized 1262) who was Bishop of Chichester. In Chichester Cathedral a shrine dedicated to Richard had become a richly decorated centre of pilgrimage. In 1538, during the reign of Henry VIII, the shrine was plundered and destroyed by order of Thomas Cromwell. St Richard of Chichester is patron saint of Sussex in southern England; since 2007, his translated saint's day of 16 June has been celebrated as Sussex Day. ==Life== Richard was born in Burford, near the town of Wyche (modern Droitwich, Worcestershire) and was an orphan member of a gentry family.〔Greenway. Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: volume 5: pp. 1-6.〕〔Capes, 1913, p. 13)〕 On the death of their parents Richard's elder brother was heir to the estates but he was not old enough to inherit, so the lands were subject to a feudal wardship. On coming of age his brother took possession of his lands, but was required to pay a medieval form of death duty that left the family so impoverished, that Richard had to work for him on the farm.〔Lower. The Worthies of Sussex. p. 242〕 His brother also made Richard heir to the estate.〔 According to Richard's biographers, friends tried to arrange a match with a ''certain noble lady''.〔 However Richard rejected the proposed match, suggesting that his brother might marry her instead; he also reconveyed the estates back to his brother, preferring a life of study and the church.〔Lower. The Worthies of Sussex. pp. 242-243〕 Educated at the University of Oxford, Richard soon began to teach in the university.〔Stephens. Memorials. pp. 84 - 85.〕 From there he proceeded to Paris and then Bologna, where he distinguished himself by his proficiency in canon law.〔 On returning to England in 1235, Richard was elected Oxford's chancellor.〔 His former tutor, Edmund of Abingdon, had become archbishop of Canterbury.〔Farmer. Richard of Chichester ''in'' Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Available Online (Retrieved 12 March 2011 ).〕 Richard shared Edmund's ideals of clerical reform and supported papal rights even against the king.〔 In 1237, Archbishop Edmund appointed Richard chancellor of the diocese of Canterbury.〔 Richard joined the archbishop during his exile at Pontigny, and was with him when the archbishop died circa 1240.〔〔Foster. Richard of Chichester (1197 - 1253). p.12〕 Richard then decided to become a priest and studied theology for two years with the Dominicans at Orléans.〔 Upon returning to England, Richard became the parish priest at Charing and at Deal, but soon was reappointed chancellor of Canterbury by the new archbishop Boniface of Savoy.〔 In 1244 Richard was elected Bishop of Chichester.〔Fryde ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 239〕 Henry III and part of the chapter refused to accept him, the king favouring the candidature of Robert Passelewe (d. 1252).〔 Archbishop Boniface refused to confirm Passelew, so both sides appealed to the pope.〔 The king confiscated the see's properties and revenues, but Innocent IV confirmed Richard's election and consecrated him bishop at Lyons in March 1245.〔〔 Richard then returned to Chichester, but the king refused to restore the see's properties for two years, and then did so only after being threatened with excommunication.〔 Henry III forbade anyone to house or feed Richard. At first, Richard lived at Tarring in the house of his friend Simon, the parish priest of Tarring, visited his entire diocese on foot, and cultivated figs in his spare time.〔〔 Richard's private life was supposed to have displayed rigid frugality and temperance.〔 Richard was an ascetic who wore a hair-shirt and refused to eat off silver.〔 He kept his diet simple and rigorously excluded animal flesh; having been a vegetarian since his days at Oxford.〔 Richard was merciless to usurers, corrupt clergy and priests who mumbled the Mass. He was also a stickler for clerical privilege. When the men of Lewes dragged a thief out of sanctuary and hanged him, he made them cut down the corpse and bury it in the sanctuary.〔 Richard's episcopate was marked by the favour which he showed to the Dominicans, a house of this order at Orléans having sheltered him during his stay in France, and by his earnestness in preaching a crusade. After dedicating St Edmund's Chapel at Dover, he died aged 56 at the Maison Dieu, Dover at midnight on 3 April 1253, where the Pope had ordered him to preach a crusade.〔 His internal organs were removed and placed in that chapel's altar. Richard's body was then carried to Chichester and buried, according to his wishes, in the chapel on the north side of the nave, dedicated to his patron St. Edmund.〔Atkinson. Chichester Cathedral: The Shrine of St Richard (Retroquire). pp.16-18〕 His remains were translated to a new shrine in 1276.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Richard of Chichester」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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