Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Lindisfarne
The purpose of this gathering is to hear the letter read from the bishop’s friend, the scholar for the court of the Frankish King Charles, who, at this time, seems to be a greater king rising over all the kings of Francia and maybe even Northumbria and all the villages of the Anglo-Saxons — the teacher, Alcuin is in his court.
Alcuin addresses his letter to the bishops and the monks:
“To Bishop Higbald and the whole community of the church of Lindisfarne, good sons in Christ of a most blessed father, the holy Bishop Cuthbert, [Cuthbert being the bones in the shrine] Alcuin, a deacon, sends greeting and blessing in Christ.
“When I was with you your loving friendship gave me great joy. Now that I am away your tragic sufferings daily bring me sorrow, since the pagans have desecrated God’s sanctuary, shed the blood of saints around the altar, laid waste the house of our hope and trampled the bodies of the saints like dung in the street. I can only cry from my heart before Christ’s altar: ‘O Lord, spare thy people and do not give the Gentiles thine inheritance, lest the heathen say, Where is the God of the Christians?’
What assurance can the churches of Britain have, if Saint Cuthbert and so great a company of saints do not defend their own? Is this the beginning of the great suffering, or the outcome of the sins of those who live there? It has not happened by chance, but is the sign of some great guilt.
“You who survive, stand like men, fight bravely and defend the camp of God. Remember how Judas Maccabaeus cleansed the Temple and freed the people from a foreign yoke. If anything needs correction in your way of gentleness, correct it quickly. Recall your patrons who left you for a season. It was not that they lacked influence with God, but they were silent, we know not why.”[footnote]
The bishop did recall those patrons mentioned here by Alcuin, to hear this reading. This is both the acknowledgement they awaited, reaffirming their “influence with God” as though rich gifts would make that possible, but also, the bishop’s earthly concern – that no one of means cared about the outcome of the monastery. He has gathered them here to see and hear it for themselves.
[footnote—source]
http://unamsanctamcatholicam.blogspot.com/2021/06/alcuin-to-higbald-and-christian-view-of.html Retrieved 10-8-24
Source: Alcuin of York, Letter to Higbald, trans. by S. Allott, Alcuin of York (York, 1974). Reprinted in Paul Edward Dutton, Carolingian Civilization: A Reader (Ontario, 1993). Scanned and proofread by Eric C. Knibbs, 2006.
This text is part of Viking Sources in Translation. Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use.
© 2006 Anders Winroth
(Continues Tuesday, Sept. 23)
Lazarus Ink 