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St. Bede the Scholar Monk |
St. Bede - also called
the Venerable Bede - is widely regarded as the greatest of all the Anglo-Saxon
scholars. He wrote some forty books on practically every area of knowledge,
but most of his writing was on theology and history. He wrote of himself:
"I have devoted my energies to the study of the scriptures, observing monastic discipline, and singing the daily services in church; study, teaching, and writing have always been my delight."Born in 672, Bede began his monastic training at the newly-founded Benedictine monastery of St. Peter in Wearmouth at the age of seven. When he had completed this schooling, he moved to the twin monastery of St. Paul in nearby Jarrow where he remained for the rest of his life. It is probable that he never travelled further afield than Lindisfarne to the north and York to the south. Bede's biblical writings were extensive and important in their time, but it is as an historian that he is best known. His most famous work is the Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, a chronicle of English history from the Roman occupation until the date of its completion in 731. Even today, this work is still considered an important source of early English history. He also wrote grammatical and chronological works, hymns and letters, and compiled the first martyrology. It is said that, at one stage, Bede was pressed to become prior of the monastery. He declined, however, fearing that this task would distract him from his scholarly calling. During his last illness in 735, Bede was working on a translation of St John's Gospel. Unable to write himself, he had to rely upon a young scribe called Wilbert for assistance. According to one account, this final conversation took place between them: "'Dear master, there is still one sentence that we have not written down.' Bede responded, 'Write quickly.' After a little while the boy said, 'There, now it is written.' 'You have said well.' replied Bede, 'It is at an end. All is finished.'"Moments later, surrounded by the monks amongst whom he had lived, Bede offered up a last prayer and then died. His only possessions - some handkerchiefs, a few peppercorns and a small quantity of incense - were divided amongst his brother monks, as he had previously directed. In about 1022, Bede's remains were taken - some say stolen - from Jarrow by a monk called Alfred, and brought to Durham. At first, they were buried together with the body of St. Cuthbert and the head of St. Oswald. Then, in 1370, Bede's bones were moved to a splendid shrine in the Galilee Chapel. This shrine, however, was destroyed in 1540 during the Reformation. Bede's remains were buried in a grave where the shrine had previously stood. When the grave was opened again in 1831, some bones and a gilded iron finger-ring were found. The bones were re-buried and the present tomb erected above them. The ring is now in the Cathedral's Treasury Museum. Bede was declared venerable by the church in 836 and was canonised in 1899. His feast day is May 27 - the day that he died. |
venerable = verehrungswürdig, selig
to regard = einschätzen, anerkennen scholar = Gelehrter to devote = widmen
monastic = Kloster-
ecclesiastical = kirchlich
to decline = ablehnen
to rely upon = sich verlassen auf
possession = Besitz
to bury = begraben
to declare venerable = seligsprechen
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Thanks to the Christ the Saviour Orthodox Mission, Ontario for the image.
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