The Lives of the Saints, Volume 03 (of 16): MarchBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
The Lives of the Saints, Volume 03 (of 16): March
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Christian saints
This is Bede's account of the consecration of Wilfrid and Chad. At that
time the diocese of York comprised the whole of Northumbria, including
the south of Scotland. Under Oswald the see of Lindisfarne--the Iona
of the Anglo-Saxons--was founded, containing within its jurisdiction
the kingdom of Bernicia, until the establishment by Theodore of
another see at Hexham. The writer of Wilfrid's life tells us that he
objected to being consecrated by the English bishops, inasmuch as they
were converts to the Scottish calculation regarding the celebration
of Easter, or had received consecration from those who were of that
opinion. Though Wini, who had been consecrated in Gaul, cannot be
placed in either of these classes, yet Wilfrid knew he would summon
to assist him two bishops who belonged to one of them; hence his
preference for Gaul. Wilfrid's delay in Gaul, perhaps, excited the
King's suspicions that he, like his friend Agilbert, was seeking a
mitre there; or it may be that the king, influenced by the Scottish
party (who could not forgive Wilfrid for the victory he gained over
them at Whitby), consented to the election of Chad to the see.
Chad has been severely censured for accepting the bishopric under these
circumstances. It may be, however, that he, stirred by sorrow at seeing
the diocese left without a head, and doubting too, perhaps, whether
Wilfrid would return, adopted this course, which may be condemned as
uncanonical.
S. Chad is commemorated in some Breviaries as an archbishop. But he was
only a bishop, for that dignity had fallen into abeyance from the time
that Paulinus fled into Kent. But though no suffragans acknowledged
Chad as their superior, he had ample scope for the most abundant
energy. We have given above Bede's account of his untiring labours;
let us now hear that of the metrical Life attributed to Robert of
Gloucester.
He endeavoured earnestly, night and day, when he had thither come,
To guard well holy Church, and to uphold Christendom.
He went into all his bishopric, and preacht full fast,
Much of that folk, through his word, to God their hearts cast,
All afoot he travelled about, nor kept he any state,
Rich man though he was made he reckoned there of little great.
The Archbishop of York had not him used to go
To preach about on his feet, nor another none the mo,
They ride upon their palfreys, lest they should spurn their toe,
But riches and worldly state doth to holy Church woe.
Theodore, the new archbishop of Canterbury, arrived in England in A.D.
669. "Soon after," says Bede, "he visited the whole island, wherever
the tribes of the Angles dwelt, for he was willingly entertained and
heard by all persons; and everywhere he taught the right rule of life,
and the canonical custom of celebrating Easter. He was the first
archbishop whom all the English Church obeyed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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