Feast Day: May 25
Title: Priest, Monk, Doctor of the Church, Father of English History
Dates: c. 673–735 A.D.
Patronage: English writers and historians, scholars, lectors
Early Life and Monastic Vocation
Saint Bede, surnamed the Venerable for his profound wisdom and sanctity, was born around the year 673, most likely in the region of Northumbria, England. Orphaned at a young age, he was entrusted by his noble family to the care of Benedict Biscop, founder of the monastery of St. Peter at Wearmouth, and later continued his formation under Abbot Ceolfrith at St. Paul’s Monastery in Jarrow.
From the tender age of seven, Bede was reared in the cloister. There he imbibed the rule of St. Benedict and immersed himself in the study of Sacred Scripture, the Church Fathers, and classical learning, excelling in Latin, Greek, and some Hebrew. He never left the monastery again and lived there in stability and obedience until his holy death.
Life of Prayer and Study
Bede lived a life characterized by deep contemplation, rigorous study, and faithful liturgical observance. As a monk-priest, he dedicated himself to the singing of the Divine Office, the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and the teaching of sacred doctrine to his monastic brethren and students.
He once wrote of his life:
“I have spent all my life in this monastery, applying myself entirely to the study of Scripture, and amid the observance of monastic discipline and the daily charge of singing in the Church, I have always found it sweet to be learning, teaching, or writing.”
Contributions to the Church and Learning
Saint Bede’s most renowned work is his Ecclesiastical History of the English People, completed around 731 A.D. It is not only a foundational text for understanding early English Christianity but also a model of Christian historiography. Bede’s vision was not mere chronicling, but the unfolding of Divine Providence in the evangelization of England.
In addition to his historical writings, he composed commentaries on nearly every book of the Bible, always drawing from the Fathers of the Church, particularly St. Augustine, St. Jerome, St. Ambrose, and St. Gregory the Great. His theology was lucid, orthodox, and pastoral, deeply rooted in the patristic tradition. He also wrote works on chronology, hymnody, science, and grammar, reflecting the broad classical and Christian education typical of the monastic schools.
He was particularly devoted to the liturgy and the chanting of the Divine Office, and he composed Latin hymns and biblical expositions used by monks in their daily prayer.
His Holy Death
Bede’s holy death occurred on Ascension Eve, May 25, 735. Sensing the approach of death, he spent his last days translating the Gospel of St. John into Old English and chanting the Psalms. His final moments were filled with peace and prayer. According to the account of his disciple, St. Cuthbert (not the bishop of Lindisfarne, but a monk of Jarrow), Bede breathed his last after chanting the Glory Be, giving up his soul in profound peace.
His remains were later transferred to Durham Cathedral, where they rest near those of St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne.
Veneration and Canonization
Though venerated locally since his death, Bede’s sanctity was formally recognized by the universal Church when Pope Leo XIII declared him a Doctor of the Church in 1899, bestowing on him the title Doctor Ecclesiae Anglorum—Doctor of the English Church. He is the only native of Great Britain to be declared a Doctor of the Church.
The epithet “Venerable” was already being used for him within a century of his death. According to pious tradition, when an attempt was made to inscribe his epitaph in Latin but the final line could not be completed, an angel miraculously added:
Hac sunt in fossa Bedae Venerabilis ossa
“In this grave lie the bones of the Venerable Bede.”
Spiritual Lessons from Saint Bede
- Sanctity through study – Bede shows that intellectual labor, when offered to God in the spirit of prayer and obedience, sanctifies the soul.
- Love for Tradition – His reverence for the Church Fathers and the Sacred Liturgy reflects the proper disposition toward the faith handed down.
- Constancy in vocation – Bede remained faithful to his monastic calling from childhood until death, without ever seeking novelty or worldly acclaim.
- Death in grace – His serene passing, surrounded by the chanting of Psalms and the Holy Gospel, is a model of the ars moriendi, the art of dying well.