Editing Wilfrid (section)

=== Abbot of Ripon ===
After Wilfrid's return to Northumbria in about 658, [[Cenwalh of Wessex|Cenwalh]], [[List of monarchs of Wessex|King of Wessex]], recommended Wilfrid to [[Alhfrith of Deira|Alhfrith]], Oswiu's son, as a cleric well-versed in Roman customs and liturgy.<ref name=Earliest87 /> Alhfrith was a sub-king of Deiria under his father's rule, and the most likely heir to his father's throne as his half-brothers were still young.<ref name=Convert42 /> Shortly before 664 Alhfrith gave Wilfrid a monastery he had recently founded at Ripon,<ref name=EncASE /><ref name=Earliest87 /> formed around a group of monks from [[Melrose Abbey]], followers of the [[Hiberno-Scottish mission|Irish monastic customs]].<ref name=Convert42>Higham ''Convert Kings'' p. 42</ref> Wilfrid ejected the abbot, Eata, because he would not follow the Roman customs;<ref name=Earliest87 /> [[Cuthbert]], later a saint, was another of the monks expelled.<ref name=DNB /> Wilfrid introduced the ''Rule of Saint Benedict'' into Ripon, claiming that he was the first person in England to make a monastery follow it,<ref name=Monasticism57>Lawrence ''Medieval Monasticism'' p. 57</ref> but this claim rests on the ''Vita Sancti Wilfrithi'' and does not say where Wilfrid became knowledgeable about the ''Rule'', nor exactly what form of the ''Rule'' was being referred to.<ref name=World199>Blair ''World of Bede'' p. 199</ref> Shortly afterwards Wilfrid was ordained a priest by [[Agilbert]], [[Bishop of Winchester|Bishop of Dorchester]] in the kingdom of the Gewisse, part of Wessex.<ref name=Hindley78 /> Wilfrid was a protégé of Agilbert, who later helped in Wilfrid's consecration as a bishop.<ref name=World111>Blair ''World of Bede'' pp. 111–112</ref> The monk [[Ceolfrith]] was attracted to Ripon from [[Gilling Abbey]], which had recently been depopulated as a result of the plague. Ceolfrith later became Abbot of [[Wearmouth-Jarrow]] during the time the medieval chronicler and writer Bede was a monk there.<ref name=World162>Blair ''World of Bede'' pp. 162–163</ref> Bede hardly mentions the relationship between Ceolfrith and Wilfrid, but it was Wilfrid who consecrated Ceolfrith a priest and who gave permission for him to transfer to Wearmouth-Jarrow.<ref name=Ceolfrid82>Coates "Ceolfrid" ''Journal of Medieval History'' p. 82</ref>