Saint Benedict Biscop
Saint Benedict Biscop (born c. 628 AD in Northumbria, England; died January 12, 689 AD at Wearmouth, Northumbria, England) was an Anglo-Saxon nobleman, monk, and monastic founder who established the twin monastery of Wearmouth-Jarrow in Northumbria—the monastic home of the Venerable Bede—and played a pivotal role in bringing Roman art, architecture, and learning to early medieval England. He made five pilgrimages to Rome, brought back books, relics, paintings, and craftsmen, and introduced the Roman chant into the liturgy of the English church. His feast day is January 12.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Benedict Biscop
| Saint Benedict Biscop | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | January 12 |
| Profession | Nobleman; monk; monastic founder; cultural patron |
| Rel. Affiliation | Benedictine tradition (Wearmouth-Jarrow) |
| Patronage | Wearmouth-Jarrow; Northern England; patrons of libraries and scriptoria |
| Attributes | Abbot's crozier; books and scrolls (allusion to Roman learning he brought to England); model of a church |
| Birthplace | Northumbria, England |
| Death Place | Wearmouth, County Durham, England |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes (paralysis in final years) |
| Primary Shrine | St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth, County Durham, England (surviving Saxon church building from his monastery) |
| Liturgical Class | Not included (universal calendar); commemorated in Anglican and Benedictine calendars |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Early life
Benedict Biscop was born around 628 AD in Northumbria into a noble Anglian family. He served as a thegn (nobleman) in the court of King Oswiu of Northumbria, but at around the age of twenty-five abandoned his worldly prospects and undertook his first pilgrimage to Rome with Saint Wilfrid, beginning a life of profound religious devotion.
Pilgrimages to Rome
Benedict made five pilgrimages to Rome in his lifetime, an extraordinary feat for the period. Each journey deepened his love for Roman ecclesiastical culture—liturgy, art, architecture, learning. On his second visit (c. 665–666 AD) he became a monk at the famous island monastery of Lérins, off the coast of Provence, where he took the name Benedict. On his third pilgrimage he was appointed by Pope Vitalian to accompany Theodore of Tarsus (the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury) and Abbot Hadrian to England.
On subsequent pilgrimages he brought back to Northumbria a vast library of books (the largest collection in England at the time), panel paintings of biblical subjects and figures of Christ, the Virgin, the Apostles, and scenes from the Apocalypse for use in his churches, glass craftsmen from Gaul to build England's first glazed windows in a church, and John the Precentor from Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome to teach the English clergy the Roman form of chant.
Founding of Wearmouth-Jarrow
In 674 AD, using land granted by King Ecgfrith of Northumbria, Benedict founded the Monastery of Saint Peter at Wearmouth (Monkwearmouth). In 681 AD he founded its twin monastery of Saint Paul at Jarrow, seven miles away. The two houses formed a single community under one abbot.
The twin monastery of Wearmouth-Jarrow became one of the most important cultural and intellectual centers in the British Isles. Most importantly, it was the home of the Venerable Bede—the greatest scholar of the early medieval West—who entered Wearmouth-Jarrow as a boy of seven and spent the rest of his life there, writing works that shaped the intellectual history of Europe.
Final years and death
In his last years Benedict suffered a progressive paralysis. He died on January 12, 689 AD at Wearmouth, leaving the twin monastery in the hands of Abbot Ceolfrith. He charged his community to maintain the library intact and to continue the Rule he had established.
Significant events
- Born c. 628 in Northumbria; courtier of King Oswiu.
- First pilgrimage to Rome c. 653 AD with Saint Wilfrid; embraced religious life.
- Became a monk at Lérins, Provence, c. 665–666 AD.
- Accompanied Archbishop Theodore of Tarsus and Abbot Hadrian to England c. 669 AD.
- Founded Monastery of Saint Peter at Wearmouth in 674 AD.
- Founded Monastery of Saint Paul at Jarrow in 681 AD (later home of Bede).
- Made five pilgrimages to Rome in total; brought back books, art, craftsmen, and Roman chant.
- Died January 12, 689 AD at Wearmouth; feast day January 12.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Northumbria, England
Death location: Wearmouth, County Durham, England
Notable location: Site of the Monastery of Saint Peter, Wearmouth, which he founded in 674 AD (Wearmouth (Monkwearmouth), County Durham, England)
Notable location: Site of the Monastery of Saint Paul, Jarrow, founded 681 AD (twin house; home of Bede) (Jarrow, County Durham, England)
Notable location: Destination of five pilgrimages; acquired books, relics, icons, and craftsmen there (Rome, Italy)
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Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Saint Benedict Biscop have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| Saint of the Day: January 12th - St Benedict Biscop | 5–15 minutes | Butler's Lives of the Saints |
| Saint Benedict Biscop, Abbot - January 12th | Under 5 minutes | Saint of the Day |
Shrines
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No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Known shrines
- St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth, County Durham, England — the surviving Saxon structure of his monastery church; one of the best-preserved Anglo-Saxon ecclesiastical buildings in England.
- St Paul's Church, Jarrow, County Durham — the surviving portion of his twin foundation; site of the Venerable Bede.
Feast day
January 12
Veneration
Saint Benedict Biscop is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion with a feast day on January 12. He is particularly honored in the Diocese of Durham and throughout Northumbria.
Prayers
Authored
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Intercessory
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