Bede and medieval civilization
Gerald Bonner
The mortal remains of the Venerable Bede rest today in cathedral church Christ and Blessed Mary Virgin, Durham. They were brought there early eleventh century by one Ælfred Westou, priest sacrist Durham an enthusiastic amateur that characteristically medieval form devotion expressed acquisition, fair means or foul, relics saints to greater glory God. removal Bede's Durham, involving as it did considerable preliminary planning solitary nocturnal vigil before final successful snatch, was his more brilliant coups, upon which he seems especially have preened himself. bones first kept coffin St Cuthbert, being subsequently removed a reliquary near saint's tomb. In 1370 they placed Galilee Chapel, where now lie under plain table-tomb blue marble, made 1542 after shrine had been defaced. himself would certainly preferred body should left its grave among brethren at Jarrow, await coming so ardently desired see; but if be made, we need not doubt content too great saint patron north, modest tombstone, much keeping with nature than earlier richer shrine, despoiled commissioners Henry VIII.
Anglo-Saxon England