About St Cuthbert
From his early days as a monk to his time as Bishop of Lindisfarne, Cuthbert’s life was defined by a deep love for God and nature. Whether he was standing waist-deep in the North Sea praying or travelling to preach in remote villages, he reminds us that God is found in wild places and quiet moments.
As a young man, Cuthbert is said to have been guarding sheep on a dark hillside when he saw angels, in a stream of light, carry a shining soul to heaven. He learned the next day that St Aidan, the great missionary to the North, had died during the night. Inspired by this vision, Cuthbert decided to become a monk.
Cuthbert continued Aidan’s missionary work by carrying the gospel to remote villages around Northumbria. The Venerable Bede writes: ‘Cuthbert made a point of searching out those steep, rugged places in the hills which other preachers dreaded to visit because of their poverty. This, to him, was a labour of love.’
Cuthbert’s ministry was grounded in a life of prayer. Cuthbert loved to spend time praying in quiet places, such as the little tidal island off Lindisfarne now known as St Cuthbert’s Isle, and the more remote Farne Islands. He sometimes prayed standing up to his waist in the cold North Sea, and we are told that otters emerged from the water to warm his feet with their breath and dry them with their fur.
At a time when bishops dressed like princes and had servants, Cuthbert chose to live as a poor monk. Because of this, many thought he was unfit to be a bishop – but Cuthbert’s example is of a person whose identity and worth were found in God’s love, not the validation of others.
Even after Cuthbert’s death, his journey continued. For over a century, his followers carried his remains to keep them safe from Viking raids, eventually finding him a home at Durham Cathedral, where he rests today.
