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Cuthbert
was born in England in the seventh century. He was an orphan,
adopted by the widow Kenswith, and lived his youth as a shepherd.
When he was 15, he began to have visions of Christ while in
the bucolic fields, and he converted to Christianity. Cuthbert
grew into a strong, able-bodied man and went off to tend the
sick and dying afflicted with the “yellow plague.”
He longed for solitude and went to what is now known as, “St.
Cuthbert’s Isle” off the coast of Holy Island. There,
witnesses described him praying naked immersed in the icy North
Sea, snuggling with otters and seals for warmth. He was made
Bishop of Lundisfarne and went back to preach among the people.
He performed a multitude of miraculous healings, including a
legendary incident in which he restored the lives of some dead
children, earning him the nickname “Wonderworker of Britain.”
Because of the energy he'd invested in all his miracles as well
as his extreme austerities, he'd completely exhausted himself
and died “with his hands uplifted and his eyes gazing
heavenward.” He was buried with the head of a king, for
luck, which was confirmed when his casket was opened in the
12th century. Cuthbert has traditionally been associated with
nature: “St. Cuthbert's beads” is a kind of seaweed,
and down feathers are called “Cuddy's ducks”. His
island retreat is now a national sanctuary for birds, seals
and other wildlife. Cuthbert's feast day is March 20. |
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| St.
Cuthbert
Patron St. of
Sailors |
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