Aidan of Lindisfarne (original) (raw)

Aidan, or Aedan (?-651), first bishop of Lindisfarne, a monk of Iona (Hii), was sent by the abbot Senegi to Northumbria, at the request of King Oswald, AD 634-635.

He restored Christianity, and in accordance with the traditions of Irish episcopacy chose the island of Lindisfarne, close to the royal city of Bamborough, as his see. Although he retained the Irish Easter, his character and energy in missionary work won him the respect of Honorius and Felix. He survived Oswald, and died shortly after the murder of his friend Oswine of Deira, on August 31, 651, in the 17th year of his episcopate.

See Bede, Hist. Eccl. (ed. Plummer), iii. 3, 5, 17, 25.

Initial text from 1911 encyclopedia -- Please update as needed