Hieu | |
---|---|
Abbess | |
Born | c. 7th century |
Died | 12 March, c. 7th century Healaugh, Yorkshire, England |
Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic Church |
Feast | 2 September |
Hieu was a 7th-century Irish abbess who worked in Northumbria. She was foundress of abbeys at Hartlepool and Healaugh in Yorkshire England. Hieu was also the first of the saintly recluses of Northumbria,[1] and the first known woman to rule a double monastery.[2][3]
Nothing is known of her early life, until she met Aidan of Lindisfarne who appointed her abbess of Hartlepool Abbey and subsequently a monastery at Healaugh near Tadcaster.[4][5]
She died at Healaugh on 12 March of an unknown year in the 7th century.[6] It is possible that the towns of Hartlepool (Hereteu) and Healaugh are named after her.