Bede entered the monastery of Saint Peter and Saint Paul at Wearmouth-Jarrow in Northumbria at around the age of seven and remained there for the rest of his life, rarely traveling beyond it. Within the monastery's excellent library, he became the most accomplished scholar of early medieval Europe, writing on Scripture, chronology, natural science, grammar, and history.
His most celebrated work, the Ecclesiastical History of the English People, is the single most important source for the early history of Christianity in England and remains a model of careful historical method for its time, including citing sources and distinguishing reliable accounts from legend. Bede was also among the first scholars to popularize dating events from the birth of Christ (AD), a convention still used worldwide today. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1899, the only native of Great Britain to hold that title.
Saint Bede the Venerable
Monk and Doctor of the Church
An English monk who spent his life within a single monastery yet became the most learned scholar of his age, authoring the first great history of the English Church.
- Born
- 672
- Died
- 735
- Birthplace
- Northumbria, England
- Died in
- Jarrow, England
- Country
- England
- Century
- 7th century
Categories
Why People Pray to Saint Bede the Venerable
Saint Bede the Venerable is invoked by scholars, historians, and students, and by those who seek to find depth and purpose within a quiet, stable life.
