Bede the Venerable!
Who was Bede
(pronounced "bead")
the Venerable?
("Venerable" means respected and honored.)
Born in 672 or 673, he was the son of a noble, rich family, sent to live in a monastery when he was 7 years old. Except for a few short trips, he lived his whole life at
St Paul's monastery
in Jarrow, in northeastern England!
As a young person in the monastery, he was expected to perform menial tasks. He probably helped to build the church there (the dedication stone is dated April 23, 685). The monastery was considered a renowned center of learning, with a library of 200 books.
Check it out here
.
In 686, plague broke out there. Records claim that, with all the monks dead, two surviving youth - one was Bede, age 14 - sang all the church services until others could be trained.
Bede became a deacon at age 19, and a priest at 30. He began writing books in his late 20s, and by his death had written dozens, on nature, astronomy, theology, and more, including the very important “Ecclesiastical History of the English People.” Bede was considered the most learned man of his time.
Bede believed in miracles and wrote about them.
He calculated that Jesus was born 3952 years after the Creation (that got him into trouble; at the time, scholars had decided on 5000 years). Because of Bede, we use the term "Anno Domini" (A.D.) for marking dates. Bede also recognized the importance of Leap Years.
During the days before his death he was working on a translation of the Gospel of St. John into English. When he translated the last passage, he said: "All is finished."
He was singing “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost” when he died in his room at the monastery on Thursday, May 26, 735.
His “treasures” - willed to his friends after he died - included pepper and incense.
Bede was buried at Jarrow, but in 1022 his bones were relocated to Durham Cathedral, to a tomb shared with St Cuthbert. In 1370, Bede was moved to his own tomb there, which was later destroyed during the English Reformation. His bones were reburied there. In 1831, Bede was moved to a new tomb,
the one that is there today
. (Durham Cathedral is where some of the Harry Potter movies were filmed!)
And, there's a character in Pokémon Sword & Shield named Bede!
Saints are the heroes of the church.
Often they are remembered as Patron Saints: they're the heroes of various professions, illnesses, needs, and more. Check out this
clickable calendar of Saints
- who shares your birthday or special days?
Who are the heroes in our lives?
All Christians are considered to be saints!
That means - YOU!
What would you like to be remembered for? What would your symbols be?
