St Bede's Episcopal Church, Santa Fe, NM

Known as both Saint Bede and The Venerable Bede, this renowned scholar was a monk at the
Northumbrian monasteries of Saint Peter at Monkwearth, England, and its companion monastery,
Saint Paul's at Jarrow where he spent the major portion of his life. His name comes from the old
English word bede which means prayer.

Born in 672, Bede was sent by his parents to Saint Peter's at the age of seven to be educated into what
became his life-long vocation. He was ordained a deacon at nineteen and a priest at thirty. Best known
as a scholar and author, his most famous work: Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum gained him the
title: Father of English History. A copy of this book in an English translation is available in the St.
Bede's library. Bede completed more than sixty books during his lifetime, most of which have
survived. A teacher as well as a writer, he enjoyed music and was said to have been a singer and a
reciter of poetry in both Latin and the language of the people.

Bede died on May 26, 735 and was buried at Jarrow. His body was moved to Durham Cathedral
around 1020. A shrine dedicated to him was destroyed during the English Reformation but his bones
were preserved and remain at Durham.

Members of St. Bede's have traveled to Durham Cathedral to research and experience the Bede story.
A ceramic plaque commemorating St. Bede's Episcopal Church in New Mexico was donated to and can
be seen at Durham. Two stones originally from Jarrow were given to St. Bede's travelers and can be
seen in our library. The original founders of our church were said to have chosen our name because
their church was dedicated to the principles of study and scholarship.

Bede's scholarship and importance were recognized by the Roman church in 1899 when he was
declared one of thirty-three Doctors of the Church. The tradition of his sainthood was affirmed by
them in 1935. Both Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches venerate Bede with a feast Day on May
26th.

And I pray thee, loving Jesus, that as Thou hast graciously given me to drink in with delight the
words of Thy knowledge, so Thou wouldst mercifully grant me to attain one day to Thee, the
fountain of all wisdom and to appear forever before Thy face.
-Bede