The narrative begins with Wilgis, a Saxon household leader in Northumbria, who transitions from a secular life to monasticism and then to solitude, where he gains a reputation for miracles. He builds a church with royal donations and leaves a legacy through his son, St. Willibrord, whose miraculous conception is foretold by a vision experienced by his mother. Willibrord is born, baptized, and raised in a monastery, where he excels in religious studies and virtues, foreshadowing his future significance in the spiritual realm.