Scottish Blog

Saint Cuthbert was a Scottish bishop, who was at one point regarded as the most known saint in England.

Saint Cuthbert was born in 634 in Dunbar, Northumbria, an area roughly thirty miles east of modern Edinburgh. Legend holds that his calling to become a monk came when he was working as a Shepard as a young boy. He is said to have had a vision of the soul of Saint Aiden being carried by angels, which inspired him to become a monk in 651.

Shortly after joining the monastery, Saint Cuthbert left to become a soldier, only to return a few years later. He applied the discipline gained as a soldier to his daily life as a monk and quickly became known for his strong sense of piety and diligence.

In 664, the priory at which Saint Cuthbert served was victim to sickness, where a number of deaths occurred including the prior. This situation saw Saint Cuthbert promoted to prior. In the following years Saint Cuthbert is said to have traveled throughout South Scotland and North England helping the poor and in some instances performing miracles of healing. Eventually this began to lead to Saint Cuthbert leading a more and more reclusive life in his spare time. He constructed a small cell for himself at Dull, which later came to be the sight of the University of St. Andrews.

By 676, Saint Cuthbert was living a hermit life on the island on the Farne Islands. It was recorded that he would not come from his cell but would only open a small window through which he would give blessings. Interestingly enough, he also instituted rules to those visiting him on the island, which were meant to protect the local duck population, this is thought to be the first instance of bird protection laws.

By 684 Saint Cuthbert was convinced to leave his hermit life and become Bishop of Lindisfarne. He left this position within two years and returned to his cell, where he died in 687.

In part, the fame of St Cuthbert can be contributed to an event which passed several years after his death. Legend holds that when the casket of Saint Cuthbert was opened years after his death, it was found that his body had been perfectly preserved, a sign that is believed to indicate that an individual was indeed a living saint.