List of Northumbrian saints explained

This list of Northumbrian saints includes Christian saints with strong connections to the medieval Kingdom of Northumbria, either because they were of local origin and ethnicity (chiefly Anglian) or because they travelled to Northumbria from their own homeland and became noted in their hagiography for work there. Northumbria existed from the 7th - 10th centuries in what is now northern England, along with areas of the Scottish Borders and the Lothian. Its chief ecclesiastical centre was York. Northumbria originally started originally from North of the Humber to the Firth of Forth, although the borders were ever expanding, and land South of the Humber was part of the Kingdom of Northumbria, such as Lindsey. Also lands north of The Firth of Forth.

During the reign of king Oswald of Northumbria, an Irish monk Aidan was invited to reconvert the area to Christianity. He and other Irish monks achieved this and subsequently the Northumbrians helped to reconvert much of the rest of England and also parts of the European continent.

Saints

NameBornLifeCommentsFeastReference
Edwin of NorthumbriaDeira, Northumbria586—632King of Northumbria, converted to Christianity from paganism.[1]
Paulinus of YorkRomedied 644First bishop of the refounded diocese of York
Converted Edwin to Christianity.
[2]
Oswald of NorthumbriaDeira, Northumbria604—642King of Northumbria, invited Aidan to reconvert his kingdom to Christianity.[3]
Aidan of LindisfarneConnacht, Irelanddied 651First Bishop of Lindisfarne, invited by Oswald to reconvert Northumbria.[4]
Oswine of DeiraDeira, Northumbriadied 651King of Deira, died "at least for the justice of Christ".[5]
Honorius of CanterburyRomedied 653accompanied Paulinus, wrote to Pope to raise York into archbishoporic.[6]
EverildaWessexFounder of Everingham. Wessex princess, became a nun in Northumbria.[7]
Finan of LindisfarneIrelanddied 661Bishop of Lindisfarne, converted Sigeberht II of Essex and Peada of Mercia.[8]
Colmán of LindisfarneIreland605—675Bishop of Lindisfarne, active during time of the Synod of Whitby.[9]
BalinNorthumbriaBrother of Gerald of Mayo, disciple of Colmán, moved to Connacht.[10]
Tuda of LindisfarneIrelanddied 664Bishop of Lindisfarne, staunch supporter of Latin calculations of Easter.[11]
BoisilNorthumbriadied 664Founder of Melrose, abbot who was the teacher of Cuthbert.[12]
Hilda of WhitbyDeira, Northumbria614—680Founder of Whitby, abbess and part of the Deiran royal family.[13]
Æbbe the ElderNorthumbria615—683Founder of Ebchester and St Abb's Head, abbess and Bernician princess.[14]
Eata of HexhamNorthumbriadied 686Bishop of Lindisfarne, earlier abbot, first non-Irishman to hold the bishopric.[15]
CeddNorthumbria620—664Bishop of London, brother of Chad, credited with reconversion of Essex.[16]
James the DeaconRomeaccompanied Paulinus, taught people Gregorian chant and plain song.[17]
Chad of MerciaNorthumbriadied 672Bishop of York, brother of Cedd, credited with Christianisation of Mercia.[18]
CædmonWhitby, NorthumbriaEarliest English poet, herdsman who became a devoted monk[19]
HereswithaDeira, Northumbriasister of Hilda of Whitby, retired to Gaul to lead religious life.[20]
BeguHackness, Northumbriadied 690Nun at Whitby, witnessed miracle of Hilda.[21]
The Two EwaldsNorthumbriadied 695missionaries Ewald the Black and Ewald the Fair, martyred in Old Saxony.[22]
Eanflæd of BerniciaDeira, Northumbria626—704Queen of Bernicia, later Abbess of Whitby succeeding Hilda.[23]
Benedict BiscopNorthumbria628—690Founder of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow, Benedictine abbot.[24]
Bosa of YorkNorthumbriadied 705Bishop of York, educated as a scholar at Whitby Abbey under Hilda.[25]
HæddeHeadingley, Northumbriadied 705Bishop of Winchester, was also a monk at Whitby Abbey. [26]
WilfridNorthumbria633—709Founder of Ripon and Preston, Bishop of York, advocate of Latin Easter.[27]
CuthbertDunbar, Northumbria634—687Bishop of Lindisfarne, priest and hermit, patron saint of Northumbria[28]
CeolfrithNorthumbria642—716Abbot of Wearmouth, major contributor to the project Codex Amiatinus.[29]
EasterwineNorthumbria650—686Abbot of Wearmouth, previously a soldier in earlier life.[30]
Eadberht of LindisfarneNorthumbriadied 698Bishop of Lindisfarne, favoured poverty, long periods of solitude and devotion.[31]
Ælfflæd of WhitbyDeira, Northumbria654—713Daughter of king Oswiu of Northumbria and Eanflæd, Abbess of Whitby.[32]
WillibrordNorthumbria658—739Founder of Utrecht, missionary known as Apostle of the Frisians.[33]
Acca of HexhamNorthumbria660—740Bishop of Hexham, strong promoter of education.[34]
Suitbert of KaiserwerdtNorthumbriadied 713Founder of Kaiserswerth, joined Willibrord's Frisian mission.[35]
Egbert of NorthumbriaNorthumbriadied 729monk at the Abbey of Rathmelsigi, arranged Willibrord's Frisian mission.[36]
Adalbert of EgmondNorthumbriamonk at the Abbey of Rathmelsigi, joined Willibrord's Frisian mission.[37]
John of BeverleyHarpham, Northumbriadied 721Founder of Beverley, Bishop of Hexham and then Bishop of York.[38]
Eadfrith of LindisfarneNorthumbriadied 721Bishop of Lindisfarne, said to have been artist of the Lindisfarne Gospels.
BedeJarrow, Northumbria672—735author of History of the English People, recognised Doctor of the Church.[39]
Æthelwold of LindisfarneNorthumbriadied 740Bishop of Lindisfarne, oversaw binding of the raw Lindisfarne Gospels.[40]
Wilfrid IIWhitby, Northumbriadied 745Bishop of York, described as a very holy man, and interested in education.[41]
OsanaDeira, Northumbria698—750sister of Osred I of Northumbria, known for miraculous grave flagellation.[42]
Baldred of TyninghameIrelanddied 757Hermit and priest, moved to Lindisfarne, known as Apostle of the Lothians.[43]
BillfrithNorthumbriadied 758Benedictine hermit, silversmith who bound the Lindisfarne Gospels.[44]
Æthelwold of FarneNorthumbriaHermit who lived on Inner Farne, priest and a monk at Ripon Abbey.[45]
LebuinusRipon, Northumbriadied 773Founder of Deventer, an Apostle of the Frisians.[46]
Alcmund of HexhamNorthumbriadied 781Bishop of Hexham. Considered a saint after death.[47]
Ælfwald I of NorthumbriaNorthumbriadied 788King of Northumbria. Considered a saint at Hexham Abbey after murder.
Willehad of BremenNorthumbria735—789First Bishop of Bremen, missionary to the Saxons under Charlemagne.[48]
AlkeldaNorthumbriadied 800princess and nun, strangled by Viking women during raid at Middleham.[49]
Alcmund of DerbyNorthumbriadied 800Northumbrian prince, son of king Alhred of Northumbria.[50]
BegaIrelandprincess from Ireland, valued virginity, moved to Northumbria to avoid pirates.[51]
Æbbe of ColdinghamNorthumbriadied 870Founder of Coldingham, origin of cutting off the nose to spite the face.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: St. Edwin . Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  2. Web site: St. Paulinus, Archbishop of York . Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  3. Web site: St. Oswald. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  4. Web site: St. Aidan of Lindisfarne. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  5. Web site: St. Oswin. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  6. Web site: St. Honorius. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  7. Web site: St. Everilda of Everingham. Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of America. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  8. Web site: St. Finan. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  9. Web site: St. Colman. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  10. Web site: St. Balin. Catholic Online. Retrieved on 8 November 2009.
  11. Web site: St. Tuda. Catholic Online. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  12. Web site: St. Boisil. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  13. Web site: St. Hilda. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  14. Web site: St. Aebbe the Elder. Britannia.com. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  15. Web site: St. Eata. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  16. Web site: St. Cedd. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  17. Web site: St. James the Deacon. Catholic Online. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  18. Web site: St. Ceadda. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  19. Web site: St. Caedmon. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  20. Web site: St. Hereswitha. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  21. Web site: St. Begu. Britannia.com. 2009-10-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20100131054606/http://www.britannia.com/bios/saints/begu.html. 2010-01-31. dead. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  22. Web site: Ss. Ewald the Dark and Ewald the Fair. Catholic Online. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  23. Web site: St. Eanfleda. Catholic Online. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  24. Web site: St. Benedict Biscop. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  25. Web site: St. Bosa. Catholic Online. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  26. Web site: St. Haedda of Winchester. Britannia.com. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  27. Web site: St. Wilfrid. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  28. Web site: St. Cuthbert. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  29. Web site: St. Ceolfrith. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  30. Web site: St. Easterwine. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  31. Web site: St. Eadbert. Catholic Online. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  32. Web site: Ælfflæd. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  33. Web site: St. Willibrord. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  34. Web site: St. Acca. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  35. Web site: St. Suitbert. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  36. Web site: St. Egbert. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  37. News: Adalbert. New Catholic Dictionary.
  38. Web site: St. John of Beverley. Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  39. Web site: The Venerable Bede. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  40. Web site: St. Ethelwald. Catholic Online. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  41. Web site: St. Wilfrid the Younger. Catholic Online. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  42. Web site: St. Osana. Britannia.com. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  43. Web site: St. Baldred. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  44. Web site: St. Bilfrid. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 13 November 2009.
  45. Web site: Saint Ethelwald of Farne. Saints.SQPN.com. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  46. Web site: St. Lebwin. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  47. Web site: St. Alcmund. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  48. Web site: St. Willehad. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  49. Web site: St. Alkelda. Britannia.com. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  50. Web site: British Saints. Britannia.com. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.
  51. Web site: St. Bega. Catholic Online. Retrieved on 28 October 2009.