Saint Bede
The Spirit that Animates Bedans
Today the Bedan community celebrates the feast of St Bede.
Saint Bede, the Venerable, patron of San Beda University, was born sometime in 673 A.D. in Jarrow, a place between England and Scotland. He was a true-blooded Benedictine Monk. At the age of seven, he entered the Benedictine monastery and rarely travelled outside it. He became a deacon at 19 and a priest at 30.
St Bede’s life revolved around the monastic rhythm of prayer, work, study and teaching. He declared, “I have spent all the remainder of my life in this monastery and devoted myself entirely to the study of the Scriptures. And while I have observed the regular discipline and sung the choir offices daily in church, my chief delight has always been in study, teaching, and writing.”
The best-known of his writings is “The Ecclesiastical History of the English People.” He also wrote about philosophy, astronomy, arithmetic, grammar, ecclesiastical history, the lives of the saints and especially, the Holy Scripture. He became the most learned man of his time. Believing Christ to be the center of history, he followed and popularized the dating of years using “anno Domini” (AD) meaning “in the year of our Lord” and “before Christ” or BC.
During his last moments, he dictated the final chapter of a book, and when he had finished the last sentence he prayed, “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.” Upon naming the Holy Spirit, he breathed his last.
The Roman Catholic Church officially celebrates the Feast of St Bede on May 25. San Beda University, having him as patron obtained permission to celebrate in June when traditionally all departments started the academic year.
(*Saint Benedict of Nursia, founder of the Order of Saint Benedict [OSB], and Saint Bede, never met. Saint Benedict was born in 480 AD and died in 543 AD while Saint Bede was born in 673 AD, or some 130 years later.)
FEAST OF ST. BEDE
MAY 25
ST. BEDE MAN OF GOD
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