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[[Saint]] '''Saint Cedd''' (AD 620-AD 664, sometimes called ''St. Cedd of Lastingham'') was a [[missionary]] and [[bishop]] who spread the Faith throughout Englandduring the seventh century. He is commemorated on [[January 7]].

St. Cedd, the eldest of four brothers, was born in 620 into a noble Northumbrian family at the beginning of the 7th century. With his siblings, Cynebil, Caelin & (St.) [[Chad]], he entered the school at Lindisfarne Priory at an early age and learned the ways of the Irish [[monk]]s under [[Aidan of Lindisfarne|Bishop Aidan]]. They were eventually sent to Ireland for further study, and all four subsequently became [[presbyter|priests]].

Having been ordained as [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] Bishop of Essex by Bishop Finan, Cedd re-instated St. Paul's in London as the main seat of his [[diocese]]. He [[ordination|ordained]] priests and [[deacon]]s to assist him in his work and gathered together a large flock of servants of Christ in his two [[monasticism|monastic ]] foundations.

Bishop Cedd always remained fond of his northern homeland, however, and made regular visits there. On one such occasion in AD 658, Cedd was approached by King Aethelwald of Deira. Finding Cedd to be a good and wise man, he pressed upon him to accept a parcel of land at Lastingham in Yorkshire on which to build a monastery. Cedd eventually agreed, but would not lay the foundation stones until the place had first been cleansed through [[prayer]] and [[fasting]]. Cedd was the first [[Abbot]] of Lastingham and remained so while still administering to his flock in Essex.

In AD 664 Cedd was at Lastingham while at a time that a great plague was raging through the area. Both he and his brother, Cynebil, fell sick and, after placing Lastingham in the charge of their youngest brother, Chad, they died. Cedd was first buried in the open air, and his funeral was attended by some thirty monks [[monk]]s from Bradwell who, sadly, also contracted the plague and died. Eventually, a little stone church was built at Lastingham in honour the [[Theotokos|Virgin Mary]], and Cedd's body was interred there, to the right of the [[altar]]. The latter remains intact in the Norman crypt that was later built on the site, though St. Cedd's bones were removed around the same time to the [[cathedral]] founded by his brother, Chad, at Lichfield.

 *[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/cedd.htm Icon of St. Cedd] *[http://www.bradwellchapel.org/spviews.htm Pictures of St. Peters on the Wall Chapel, founded by St. Cedd] *[http://www.lastinghamgrange.com/StMarysChurch.htm St. Mary's Church Lastingham Shrine of St. Cedd]

[[Category:Celtic and AngloSaints of the British Isles]][[Category:Pre-Saxon Schism Western Saints]][[Category:7th-century saints]]