On 26 October the church remembers Cedd, abbot, bishop, 664.

But who was Cedd?

Cedd was a pupil of Aidan, who had established Christianity within Northumbria during the reign of King Oswald. Cedd spent some time at the monastery of Lindisfarne, where along with his brother Chad, he was taught by Aidan. There were four brothers in all: Chad, Cynebill, Caelin and Cedd. All four became priests and two became bishops.

Cedd was from the region of East Anglia, but practised Celtic Christianity rather than the Roman Christianity associated with the south of England. He is known as of the Lindisfarne monks who travelled great distances to preach the gospel. In 653 Cedd and his brothers were sent by King Oswy of Northumbria to evangelize the Middle Angles in Mercia. He was also sent to Essex on a similar mission sometime later. Such was the success of his missions that he was consecrated Bishop of the East Saxons in 654 by Finan of Lindisfarne. While in this post he established monasteries at West Tilbury and Ythancester (Bradwell-on-Sea).

Cedd was present at the Synod of Whitby (664), which was called to establish uniformity over the celebration of Easter between the Churches of the Celtic and Roman traditions, and to clarify other ecclesiastical customs. Able to speak both Gaelic and Anglo-Saxon, Cedd acted as interpreter at the gathering.

The council was called by King Oswy, a Celtic Christian who had married Eanfleda, a Roman Christian. The differences in Easter practices in the royal household were becoming contentious. Although eventually influential for the history of Christianity in Britain, the Synod of Whitby was only attended by a few representative bishops. It was many years before uniformity became apparent within the Church, and practices merged.

The process of convergence between Celtic and Roman traditions was long and gradual. Bede, an English Roman Christian writing 70 years after the Synod, made this council the crux of his account of church history, and subsequent medieval histories distorted the facts for political motives.

In a journey back to Northumbria in 658 Cedd established the monastery at Lastingham, after being given land by Ethelwald, Oswy’s son. He died of the plague whilst living at Lastingham in 664.

Extract from ‘Saints on Earth: A biographical companion to Common Worship’ by John H Darch and Stuart K Burns