Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Lindisfarne
Depending on the king or the earthly power, whether patriots or rebels, Lindisfarne is known either for its sin or its mercy all over one issue. And now the bishop is bringing an entourage to hear the reading of Alcuin’s letter to be read as the king’s men come to tour the damage and the material losses here.
This community is supported by the shrine of St. Cuthbert, which is reached by the wealthy patrons and pilgrims who walk the land bridge at low tide. Like the shrine of St. Martin, in Tours, Lindisfarne is a monastery supported by the gifts of pilgrims. Here, the incorrupt sanctified remains of St. Cuthbert are enshrined. In the last century this holy man was a lone mystic building his hermitage on the island of Farne, until he was called back here to be a bishop. He accepted the call, but soon went back to his solitary life. [Footnote 1]
The unusual “miracle” that led to his veneration as a saint was discovered when his body was being exhumed and prepared for moving him to this shrine. The miracle or amazing oddity was that his body did not have the stiffness of death or the decay of his flesh despite a passage of time after his burial. [Footnote 2]
If I were one to take part in the cult of saints, I would surely choose to have Cuthbert as my patron. It would explain a lot about my own oddity of deaths, and for me, life and life again. Of course, I was assigned this by my friend, who only wanted an earthly sign for the spiritual truth of everyone’s resurrection. And I can only assume Cuthbert’s resurrection was purely spiritual, even though his body is still in-tact.
Like a sometimes land bridge from the island shrine to earthly mainland, the invisible mystical bond between heaven and earth is set aside and sealed in a vault as “sacred” and untouchable by human simplicity. The constant demand for physical evidence to explain mystical reality to all of us of earth seems to demand a physical miracle. Maybe the spiritual reality that hears common prayers is not an oddity at all, to be relegated to saints. Maybe it is simply the everyday love of God, a Spiritual embrace for anyone to know — no saint is required.
There are many paths to Lindisfarne – by land or water, or on the wings of angels.
[Footnote 1] https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/bede-cuthbert.asp (retrieved 1-3-2025)
[Footnote 2] Ibid.noted here as described in the hagiography by Bede
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 