Cuthbert

c.634-687. Bishop of Lindisfarne. After a vision connected with the death of Aidan* he entered the monastery at Melrose in 651. Some years later he went as guestmaster to the monastery at Ripon founded by Eata. In 661 he returned with Eata to Melrose and soon became prior. In 664 he moved to Lindisfarne as prior, and introduced Roman customs there, at first against opposition. He continued with missionary journeys in the tradition of Aidan. In 676 he withdrew for greater solitude and closeness to God through nature to one of the neighboring Farne islands. In 684 he declined the see of Hexham, but the next year he consented to become bishop of Lindisfarne. After his death on Farne in 687 his body was buried at Lindisfarne. Due to the Danish raids, it was moved in 875 by monks, who wandered with it all over Northumbria. In 883 it came to rest at Chester-le-Street in County Durham. Because of further danger it was moved again in 995 to Ripon, and on its return north in 999 was finally buried at Durham, where a church was built as a shrine.