St. Benedict Biscop

St. Benedict Biscop was an English abbot, founder of monasteries, and a key figure in bringing Roman culture and learning to Anglo-Saxon England. He is remembered for his devotion to education, art, and liturgy.

St. Benedict Biscop was born around the year 628 into a noble Northumbrian family. Initially serving as a courtier to King Oswiu of Northumbria, he left courtly life in his twenties to make a pilgrimage to Rome. This journey marked the beginning of a lifetime devoted to religious learning and the monastic way of life.

Benedict made a total of five journeys to Rome throughout his life, each time bringing back books, relics, and sacred art to enrich the Church in England. His travels deeply influenced his vision of monastic life, especially the Roman liturgical and artistic traditions. He became a monk at the famous monastery of Lérins in France before returning to England.

He was appointed abbot of the monastery of St. Peter and St. Paul in Canterbury but later founded two great monasteries in the north of England: Wearmouth in 674 and Jarrow in 682. These monasteries became centers of learning and culture. He was one of the first in England to introduce glass windows and stone buildings, bringing skilled artisans from the Continent.

One of his greatest legacies was mentoring the Venerable Bede, who lived and worked at the Jarrow monastery. Benedict established an extraordinary library of over 200 books, rare for the time, which would support Bede's historical and theological writings.

St. Benedict Biscop passed away in 690 after a prolonged illness. His monasteries continued to flourish and helped spark a golden age of learning in Northumbria.

Feast Day

12-1-

Birth Date

--628

Died Date

12-1-690

Canonised Date

--N/A

Monastery of Wearmouth, England

St. Benedict Biscop, wise teacher and builder of holy places, guide us to treasure wisdom and glorify God through learning and beauty. Amen.
ST. BENEDICT BISCOP

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