Who was St Cuthbert and what is St Cuthbert’s Way?
St Cuthbert was a shepherd boy living in the 7th Century AD, in and around the Borders of Scotland and Northumbria. One night whilst tending his flock he saw a vision of a bright light ascending to Heaven, this was the night the revered Abbott of Lindisfarne and bishop of Northumbria, Aidan, died. This vision of Aidan’s soul rising to heaven inspired Cuthbert to dedicate his life to God and so he became a Monk at Melrose. He was wise and learned and had obvious qualities in Leadership and was asked to go to Ripon to lead the monastery there. When this was dissolved by the King Alhfrith Cuthbert returned to Melrose and whilst there in contracted the plague. Aware that the Brothers stayed up all night praying for him he arose in the morning cured, although he retained a limp for the rest of his days. Cuthbert later became Prior of Melrose and travelled widely in the border area often taking shelter in the hills. During those travels he stayed often at Coldingham where the Prioress was St Ebba, who was of Royal blood. She influenced him greatly and it was her persuasion that made him eventually agree, against his better judgement, to become both Abbott of Lindisfarne and Bishop of Northumbria. Cuthbert hated the trappings of grandeur and high position and often retreated to what became known as “St Cuthbert’s Isle” or Inner Farne off the Northumberland Coast. He also loved nature and was known to pray all night in the sea often surrounded by otters. The Legend of Cuthbert grew after his death when, to escape the invading Vikings some of the Brothers from Lindisfarne took his coffin, to avoid it being desecrated and tried to take it to somewhere safer. Eventually they arrived at Durham where his remains lie to this day. His coffin was opened 6 times, once 11 years after his death, when his body was found to be “uncorrupted”; next 247 years after his death, when, again, his body was found “uncorrupted”; the same was said 417 after his death and also during the English Reformation some 652 years after his death. His remains were also exhumed twice in the Victorian age and whilst they had then corrupted his robes, pectoral cross, which became the symbol by which he is remembered (and used on the way-markers on his “Way”) and other items where intact. Miracles and healings were said to be performed by those making pilgrimage to his shrine and he remains a figure of great influence on both the Church and Northumberland and Scotland. His legend has touched man including me, and I have a tattoo of his pectoral cross on my arm as a mark of respect and acknowledgement of his influence on me.
St Cuthbert’s Way takes you from Melrose in the Borders to Lindisfarne. It incorporates many of the places Cuthbert would have travelled to and through and also includes the cave named after him where is body was said to have rested when the Brothers were hiding it from the Vikings. To go on this route is to follow in his steps and to remember his legacy. As Cuthbert grew closer to God through the landscape and animals of the Borders, so we, too, can feel closer to God as we wander through it. My next few blogs with tell of the way my Dad and I walked it and the sites and experiences we had.
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