Editing Cuthbert (section)

==Life==

===Origins and background===
Cuthbert was born (perhaps into a noble family) in [[Dunbar]], then in Northumbria, and now in East Lothian, [[Scotland]], in the mid-630s, some ten years after the conversion of [[Edwin of Northumbria|King Edwin of Northumbria]] to Christianity in 627, which was slowly followed by that of the rest of his people. The politics of the kingdom were violent, and there were later episodes of pagan rule, while spreading understanding of Christianity through the kingdom was a task that lasted throughout Cuthbert's lifetime. Edwin had been baptised by [[Paulinus of York]], a Roman who had come with the [[Gregorian mission]] from Rome, but his successor [[Oswald of Northumbria|Oswald]] also invited Irish monks from [[Iona]] to found the monastery at Lindisfarne where Cuthbert was to spend much of his life. This was around 635, about the time Cuthbert was born.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1956|pp=115–116}}

The tension between the Roman and Celtic Christianity, often exacerbated by Cuthbert's near-contemporary [[Wilfrid]], an intransigent and quarrelsome supporter of Roman ways, was to be a major feature of Cuthbert's lifetime. Cuthbert himself, though educated in the Celtic tradition, followed his mentor [[Eata of Hexham|Eata]] in accepting the Roman forms, apparently without difficulty, after the [[Synod of Whitby]] in 664.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1956|pp=122–129}}{{sfn| Farmer|1995|pp= 53–54, 60–66}}{{sfn| Brown |2003|pp= 64–66}}{{efn|At least Bede records no reluctance, though Farmer and others suspect he may be being less than frank in this, as a partisan of Jarrow.}} The earliest biographies concentrate on the many miracles that accompanied even his early life, but he was evidently indefatigable as a travelling priest spreading the Christian message to remote villages, and also well able to impress royalty and nobility. Unlike Wilfrid, his style of life was austere, and when he could, he lived the life of a hermit, though still receiving many visitors.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1956|pp=115–141}}{{sfn| Farmer|1995|pp= 52–53, 57–60}}

In Cuthbert's time the Kingdom of Northumbria included, in modern terms, northern England and southern Scotland on an intermittent and fluid basis as far north as the [[Firth of Forth]]. Cuthbert may have been from the neighbourhood of Dunbar at the mouth of the Firth of Forth in modern-day Scotland, though ''The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints'' ("Butler's Lives"), by [[Alban Butler]] records that he was fostered as a child near Melrose. Fostering is possibly a sign of noble birth, as are references to his riding a horse when young. One night while still a boy, employed as a shepherd, he had a vision of the soul of Aidan being carried to heaven by [[angel]]s, and later found out that Aidan had died that night. Edwin Burton finds it a suggestion of lowly parentage that as a boy he used to tend sheep on the hills near that monastery.{{sfn|Burton|1908}} He appears to have undergone military service, but at some point he joined the very new monastery at Melrose, under the prior [[Boisil]]. Upon Boisil's death in 661, Cuthbert succeeded him as prior.{{sfn|Burton|1908}} Cuthbert was possibly a second cousin of King [[Aldfrith of Northumbria]] (according to Irish genealogies), which may explain his later proposal that Aldfrith should be crowned as monarch.{{sfn|Healy|1909|p=78}}{{sfn|Ireland|1991|p=64}}

===Career===
[[File:Durham St Cuthbert.jpg|thumb|12th century wall-painting of St Cuthbert in [[Durham Cathedral]]]]
Cuthbert's fame for piety, diligence, and obedience grew. When [[Alchfrith of Deira|Alchfrith]], king of [[Deira (kingdom)|Deira]], founded a new monastery at [[Ripon]], Cuthbert became its ''praepositus hospitum'' or guest master under Eata. When Wilfrid was made abbot of the monastery, Eata and Cuthbert returned to Melrose. Illness struck the monastery in 664 and while Cuthbert recovered, the [[Prior (ecclesiastical)|prior]] died and Cuthbert was made prior in his place.<ref name="scl">{{Cite web|url=http://allsaintsbrookline.org/celtic/saints/cuthbert.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060823132016/http://www.allsaintsbrookline.org/celtic/saints/cuthbert.html|url-status=dead|title=St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne|archivedate=23 August 2006}}</ref><ref name="Melrose">[http://www.aboutscotland.com/mel.html Melrose Abbey, Medieval Abbey at] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720153247/http://www.aboutscotland.com/mel.html |date=20 July 2006 }} [[Melrose, Scotland]]</ref> He spent much time among the people, ministering to their spiritual needs, carrying out missionary journeys, and preaching.

After the [[Synod of Whitby]], Cuthbert seems to have accepted the Roman customs, and his old abbot Eata called on him to introduce them at Lindisfarne as prior there. His [[ascetic]]ism was complemented by his charm and generosity to the poor, and his reputation for gifts of healing and insight led many people to consult him, gaining him the name of "Wonder Worker of Britain".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Beyond Life: Cuthbert's Body – Durham World Heritage Site |url=https://www.durhamworldheritagesite.com/learn/history/st-cuthbert/body |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=www.durhamworldheritagesite.com}}</ref> He continued his missionary work, travelling the breadth of the country from [[County of Berwick|Berwick]] to [[Galloway]] to carry out pastoral work and founding an oratory at [[Dull, Perth & Kinross|Dull, Scotland]], complete with a large stone cross, and a little cell for himself. He is also said to have founded [[The Parish Church of St Cuthbert|St Cuthbert's Church]] in [[Edinburgh]].<ref>[http://www.st-cuthberts.net St Cuthbert's Website] – [[Church of Scotland]], Lothian Road, [[Edinburgh]] church.</ref>

===Hermit's life===
[[File:Cuthbert and Ælfflaed at Coquet Island.jpg|left|thumb|Cuthbert meets [[Ælfflæd of Whitby]] on Coquet Island, [[Bede]]'s Life of Cuthbert, 12th century]]
Cuthbert retired in 676, moved by the desire for a more contemplative life. With his abbot's leave, he moved to a spot which Archbishop Eyre identifies with [[Lindisfarne#St Cuthbert's Isle (Hobthrush)|St Cuthbert's Island]] near Lindisfarne, but which Raine{{sfn|Raine|1828|p=ii}} thinks was near [[Holburn]], at a place now known as [[St Cuthbert's Cave]]. Shortly afterwards, Cuthbert moved to [[Inner Farne]] island, two miles from [[Bamburgh]], where he gave himself up to a life of great austerity.{{sfn|Burton|1908}} At first he received visitors, but later he confined himself to his cell and opened his window only to give his blessing. He could not refuse an interview with the holy abbess and royal virgin [[Ælfflæd of Whitby|Elfleda]], the daughter of [[Oswiu of Northumbria]], who succeeded [[Hilda of Whitby|St Hilda]] as abbess of Whitby in 680. The meeting was held on [[Coquet Island, England|Coquet Island]], further south.{{sfn|Butler|1833|p=371}}

===Election as Bishop, Lindisfarne and death===
In 684, Cuthbert was elected [[Bishop of Hexham]] at a synod at Twyford (believed to be present-day [[Alnmouth]]),{{sfn|Urban|1852|p=504}} but was reluctant to leave his retirement and take up his charge; it was only after a visit from a large group, including King [[Ecgfrith of Northumbria|Ecgfrith]], that he agreed to return and take up the duties of bishop, but instead as [[Bishop of Lindisfarne]], swapping with Eata, who went to Hexham in Cuthbert's place. Cuthbert was consecrated at [[York]] by [[Theodore of Tarsus|Archbishop Theodore]] and six bishops, on 26 March 685. But after Christmas 686, he returned to his cell on Inner Farne Island, where he died on 20 March 687, after a painful illness.{{sfn|Farmer|2011|p=108}} He was buried at Lindisfarne the same day, and after long journeys escaping the Danes his remains chose, as was thought, to settle at [[Durham, England|Durham]], causing the foundation of the city and Durham Cathedral. The [[St Cuthbert Gospel]] is among the objects later recovered from [[St Cuthbert's coffin]], which is also an important artefact.