The Venerable Bede


Many historians consider Bede the greatest scholar of his time. The immense number of accomplishments achieved by Bede in his life justifies his title. He was an historian, a scientist and a teacher. Bede lived a simple and productive life. At the age of seven, he was entrusted to the care of the Benedict Bishop in the monastery of Saint Peter and Paul, where he spent the rest of his existence. He developed a thirst for knowledge at a very young age and managed to utilize this gift for the benefit of man. He continued his self-enlightenment and altruism by becoming a doctor, studying the science of nature, and documenting historical facts and events.

One of his major achievements was his ability to learn Latin. the ability to fluently speak, read, and write this complicated ancient language allowed him to translate and comment on books of Bible, and take his historical and scientific research to a higher level. His detailed, factual descriptions and dated scientific documentation of historical information allows us today to better understand the history of Christianity, the Middle Ages, and the English people.

His most valued work is a book called Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anlorum, which is a detailed description of English history through the Christian perspective. Without this book, many important historical events and figures like Caedmon, "the father of English poetry" would have been lost in the sands of time.

Bede documented the life of Caedmon, a farm servant in the monastery who received a blessing from God. Caedmon lives through his life without any outstanding achievements. Because of his inability to sing, he avoids social gatherings where singing is a traditional part of the event. One night, escaping one of these social events, he has a dream in which a stranger asks him to sing about creation, so he does, composing the first Christian Anglo-Saxon poetry. In the morning he amazes the monastic clergy with his newfound poetic gift and is convinced to join the brotherhood. From there on, Caedmon starts learning religious stories, and composing great religious poems.

Without Bede, much history would have been lost. Because of his great proficiency, he was given the title of Venerable, and his saint's day is celebrated every year on the 27th of May. Besides being a great scholar, Bede was an humanitarian, respected by fellow monks, and his students. He devoted his life to knowledge and deeds beneficial to his contemporaries, and modern scientists.