Background
St. Cuthbert was born in 635 in Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland, United Kingdom.
St. Cuthbert was born in 635 in Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland, United Kingdom.
With Abbot Eata, Cuthbert entered Alchfrith of Deira's new monastery at Ripon (late 650's), but returned after refusing to accept Roman practices.
Cuthbert became prior in 664 and undertook teaching tours in Northumbria.
After the Synod of Whitby (664), Eata removed to Lindisfarne.
Cuthbert followed and became prior, but had some difficulties managing the monks.
His seat was at Lindisfarne.
Legitimization is the motive behind the tale of Cuthbert promising Alfred, in a vision, rule of all Britain for himself and his descendants, in the Historia de Sancto Cuthberto.
In 995 it reached Durham, where a new shrine was established in 1104.
His repose suffered from Henry VIII's commissioners, and again in 1827, when his grave was reopened, likewise in an atmosphere of religious tensions, and some of his relics were dispersed.
His remains, first buried at Lindisfarne, were repeatedly moved and in 1104 came to rest at Durham.
We see him discussing the royal succession with Abbess Ælfflæd of Whitby (684), as adviser to King Ecgfrith, and to his widow Iurminburg (685).
Becoming bishop involved opposition to Wilfrid who claimed all Northumbria.
His retirement may have discreetly anticipated Wilfrid's forthcoming return.
There is for example a propagandist element in the depiction of St Peter on Cuthbert's coffin. This makes it hard to discover what Cuthbert was really like and really stood for.
But his cross suggests that as bishop he cut a more magnificent figure than this might imply.
Both biographers give some continental dimension to his traits, behaviour, and values.
In Bede's pages Cuthbert harmoniously combines both traditions, as a Northumbrian St Benedict (of Nursia) and embodiment of the episcopal virtues expounded by Pope Gregory I: an exemplar for Bede's contemporaries.
He also visited Pictish Christians, with whom he was apparently on friendly terms.
His feast is March 20.