On 2 March the church remembers Chad, bishop, missionary, and regarded as the Patron Saint of Lichfield, clergy, education, those devoted to monastic life and pastoral care, 672.

But who was Chad?

Chad was a pupil of Aidan, who had established Christianity within Northumbria during the reign of King Oswald (634–42). Chad spent some time at the monastery of Lindisfarne, where, along with his brother Cedd, he was taught by Aidan. He also spent some time in Ireland as part of his education.

In 664 he succeeded his brother as Abbot of Lastingham in the North York Moors. Later that same year King Oswy of Northumbria decided to consecrate Chad as his bishop. This was a somewhat irregular move, as the only reason for his consecration was Oswy’s impatience. The designated Bishop of Northumbria, Wilfrid, had travelled to France to be consecrated but was an exceptionally long time returning. Eventually Oswy tired of the delay and consecrated Chad bishop in a ceremony under the authority of the Celtic bishops, rather than those of the newer Roman tradition.

On his eventual return to Northumbria, Wilfrid discovered that his original nominator (Oswy’s deputy) had died, and that another bishop had been consecrated in his place. To his credit, Wilfrid made no attempt to regain his position, but when Archbishop Theodore visited the region in 669 and remarked upon the irregularity of the situation Chad voluntarily gave up his position and returned to Lastingham.

Impressed by the humility of Chad, Theodore made him Bishop of Mercia. He repeated the entire consecration ceremony, as he considered the first ceremony invalid because of the overwhelming presence of Celtic bishops.

Chad fixed his residence at Lichfield, and led the diocese for two years. He travelled widely and established a monastery at Barrow, Lincolnshire. He oversaw the formation of Lichfield as an ecclesiastical centre before his death from the plague in 672.

A Prayer

Almighty God,
from the first fruits of the English nation who turned to Christ,
you called your servant Chad
to be an evangelist and bishop of his own people:
give us grace so to follow his peaceable nature,
humble spirit and prayerful life,
that we may truly commend to others
the faith which we ourselves profess;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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