Saint Bartholomew of Farne
Saint Bartholomew of Farne (born c. 1110 AD in Whitby, Yorkshire, England; died June 24, 1193 AD on Inner Farne, Northumberland, England) was an English Benedictine monk and hermit who spent sixty years as a solitary on the Inner Farne—the same tiny island off the Northumberland coast where Saint Cuthbert had lived as a hermit five centuries before. He is one of the most beloved English hermits of the twelfth century, a figure of extraordinary perseverance in solitude, prayer, and physical austerity, who endured the harsh conditions of the North Sea island for his entire adult life. His feast day is June 24.
Bartholomew's choice to follow in Cuthbert's footsteps on the Farne Islands, and to remain there for six decades despite hardship and the temptations of easier lives, places him in the great tradition of English insular hermits that stretches from the Celtic missionaries through Cuthbert to the medieval English recluses.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Bartholomew Of Farne
| Saint Bartholomew of Farne | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | June 24 |
| Profession | Benedictine monk; hermit |
| Rel. Affiliation | Order of Saint Benedict; Durham Priory; Farne hermitage |
| Attributes | Benedictine habit; sea birds (the eider ducks of Farne, known since Cuthbert's time as "Cuddy's ducks," were part of the island's sanctified tradition) |
| Birthplace | Whitby, North Yorkshire, England |
| Death Place | Inner Farne, Northumberland, England |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes |
| Primary Shrine | Inner Farne, Northumberland, England |
| Liturgical Class | Not included (universal calendar) |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Early life
Bartholomew was born around 1110 in Whitby, the Yorkshire town famous as the site of the Synod of Whitby (664 AD) and the home of the great Anglo-Saxon abbess Saint Hilda. He initially worked as a priest in Norway (some accounts say he traveled there and was ordained there) before returning to England with a desire for a more contemplative life.
Benedictine vows and the Farne
Bartholomew became a Benedictine monk at Durham Priory, the great Benedictine monastery associated with the shrine of Saint Cuthbert. After his profession, he received permission to live as a hermit on Inner Farne—a small, windswept island in the North Sea, accessible only by boat, where Saint Cuthbert had lived alone in the seventh century and where subsequent hermits had continued to live. Bartholomew arrived on the island around 1150 and remained there until his death in 1193: a hermitage of approximately sixty years.
Life on Inner Farne
The island is bleak, exposed to North Sea winds, and difficult to supply. Bartholomew lived in the small stone oratory and dwelling that existed there, enduring the cold, the wind, and the isolation with remarkable equanimity. He grew a small garden to supplement food brought by boat. He reportedly had a deep relationship with the eider ducks that nested on the island—continuing the tradition of Saint Cuthbert, who had famously befriended and protected the birds there.
Visitors occasionally came to the island for spiritual counsel; Bartholomew was known for his wisdom, his cheerfulness despite hardship, and his deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin. He endured periods of spiritual desolation and physical suffering, but persevered without leaving the island.
He died on June 24, 1193, having outlived virtually everyone who had known him when he arrived. A life of his was written by Geoffrey of Durham shortly after his death.
Significant events
- Born c. 1110 in Whitby, Yorkshire.
- Became a Benedictine monk at Durham Priory; received permission to live as a hermit.
- Settled on Inner Farne c. 1150, following in the footsteps of Saint Cuthbert.
- Lived as a hermit on the island for approximately sixty years.
- Died June 24, 1193 on Inner Farne; feast established on June 24.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Whitby, North Yorkshire, England
Death location: Inner Farne, Northumberland, England
Notable location: Hermitage where he lived for sixty years; previously the hermitage of Saint Cuthbert (Inner Farne, Farne Islands, Northumberland, England)
Notable location: Monastery (Durham Priory) with which his hermitage was affiliated (Durham Cathedral, Durham, England)
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Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Saint Bartholomew of Farne have been added to the database yet.
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Inner Farne, Farne Islands, Northumberland, England — the island where he lived and died for sixty years; a site of natural beauty and ancient sanctity, now managed by the National Trust.
Canonization
Saint Bartholomew of Farne is venerated through the ancient process of local veneration in the English Benedictine tradition.
Feast day
June 24
Veneration
Saint Bartholomew of Farne is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast day on June 24. He is particularly honored in Northumberland and in the English Benedictine Congregation. He is remembered as the most faithful inheritor of Saint Cuthbert's hermit tradition on the Farne Islands.
Prayers
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