27. SAINT CEOLWULF, MONK OF LINDISFARNE

Our holy Father Ceolwulf became king of Northumbria in the year 729. The beginning of his reign, writes Simeon of Durham, «was marked by a continued series of misfortunes», and in 731 he was captured and forcibly tonsured. However, he was released in the same year, «and afterwards, when peace and tranquillity smiled upon him, many of the Northumbrians, both nobles and private individuals, laid aside their arms and having accepted the tonsure, gave the preference to a monastic life over that spent in warlike occupations.»

In 737 he abdicated and became a monk at Lindisfarne, endowing that church so generously that the community was henceforth able to drink beer or wine, whereas formerly they used to drink only water or milk. St. Ceolwulf was a very learned man, «imbued with an extraordinary love of the Scriptures». So the Venerable Bede dedicated his famous History of the English Church and Nation to him and asked him to correct it.

St. Ceolwulf died in 764 and was buried next to St. Cuthbert – a great mark of honour. In 830 his relics were translated to King Egred's new church at Norham-on-Tweed with those of St. Cuthbert; and later his head was translated to Durham. Miracles testified to his holiness.

St. Ceolwulf is commemorated on January 15.

Holy Father Ceolwulf, pray to God for us!

(Sources: The Venerable Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People; Simeon of Durham, History of the Church of Durham; William of Malmesbury, Gesta Regum Anglorum; David Farmer, The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1978, p. 74)