Saint Cedd
Saint Cedd (born c. 620 AD in Northumbria, England; died October 26, 664 AD at Lastingham, North Yorkshire, England) was an Anglo-Saxon bishop and missionary who evangelized the East Saxons (Essex) and founded the monastery of Lastingham in Yorkshire. He was the brother of Saint Chad of Mercia. He is one of the most important figures of the early English Church. His feast day is October 26.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Cedd
| Saint Cedd | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | October 26 |
| Profession | Anglo-Saxon bishop; missionary; monastic founder |
| Rel. Affiliation | Celtic-Roman church; Lindisfarne tradition |
| Patronage | Essex; East Saxons; Lastingham |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; chapel (Bradwell); Anglo-Saxon cross |
| Birthplace | Northumbria, England |
| Death Place | Lastingham, North Yorkshire, England |
| Cause of Death | Plague (Yellow Plague that swept Britain and Ireland in 664 AD) |
| Primary Shrine | St Mary's Priory, Lastingham, North Yorkshire, England |
| Liturgical Class | Not included (universal calendar); observed in England |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Cedd was born in Northumbria around 620 AD, one of four brothers who all became priests (three are venerated as saints: Cedd, Chad, and Cynibil). He received his formation at the monastery of Lindisfarne under Bishop Aidan. Around 653 AD, at the request of King Peada of the Middle Angles, Cedd was sent as a missionary to the Mercians. Then at the request of King Sigeberht of Essex, he was sent to evangelize the East Saxons.
He became Bishop of the East Saxons and worked vigorously in Essex, founding churches including the chapel at Bradwell-on-Sea — the tiny Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall, built within the ruins of the Roman fort of Othona, which still stands and is one of the oldest surviving complete Anglo-Saxon buildings in England.
Around 654 AD, Cedd founded the monastery of Lastingham in the North Yorkshire Moors, preparing the site with prayer and fasting before its construction. He attended the Synod of Whitby in 664 AD, which debated the Roman versus Celtic calculation of Easter; he came as a supporter of the Celtic side but accepted the Roman ruling.
He died of the Yellow Plague at Lastingham on October 26, 664 AD. The Venerable Bede's account in the Historia Ecclesiastica is our primary source for his life.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Northumbria, England
Death location: Lastingham, North Yorkshire, England
Notable location: The monastery he founded around 654 AD; he died there of plague in 664; St Mary's Priory preserves his memory (Lastingham, North Yorkshire, England)
Notable location: He built the Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall (c. 654 AD) — one of the oldest surviving Anglo-Saxon churches in England (Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, England)
Notable location: Where he established another missionary base as Bishop of the East Saxons (Tilbury, Essex, England)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- St Mary's Priory, Lastingham, North Yorkshire — the monastery he founded; the crypt dates from the Norman period but is built over the original Saxon monastery where Cedd is buried.
- Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall, Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex — one of the oldest standing Anglo-Saxon churches in England; built by Cedd c. 654 AD.
Feast day
October 26
Veneration
Saint Cedd is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church and Church of England with a feast day on October 26.
Prayers
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