Chad of Mercia

The Holy Chad (also: Ceadda ) (* 623, † March 2 672 in Lichfield ) 664-669 was the second bishop of York.

Chad probably came from Northumbria. He was the youngest of four brothers, of whom especially Cedd awareness should attain. Together with Cedd he was educated at Lindisfarne Abbot Aidan to the clergy, after his death in 651, both to Ireland went to continue their education, where Chad Egbert met, the future abbot of Iona. His brother soon returned to England to work in Essex for proselytizing. Chad assisted his brother, when he built a monastery in 658 Lastingham in Yorkshire. After 664 Cedd there died of the plague, was the successor of his brother Chad as abbot of the monastery.

During this time, the conflict over the Northumbrian affiliation to the Catholic or iro -Scottish church came to a head, which was resolved at the Synod of Whitby in the Roman sense; Chad had, as might be expected in his career otherwise, represent the iro - Scottish position. In the following years, however, there was a protracted dispute over the occupation of the diocese of York, which should be re-established as part of the reorganization of the Northumbrian Church, after the first local bishop Paulinus 633 had to flee. After Chad was at first intended for the post, was Wilfrid, who had played on the Whitbyer Synod the lead role, that he himself would ordained bishop of York. Chad wanted to bring the matter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Deusdedit, but he learned on his arrival there that Deusdedit had recently succumbed to the plague. Meanwhile, the designated successor Wighart was on his way to Rome to seek his own consecration, and Bishop Ithamar of Rochester also was dying. The Anglo-Saxon bishop only one available was Bishop of Dorchester Wine in Wessex, but since the three bishops were necessary for the proper consecration, Chad pulled her even bishops of the Welsh Church added, so that he could be consecrated in the Cathedral of Dorchester Bishop of York.

In 666 Wilfrid, who had traveled to Compiègne turned to leave consecrate themselves of Roman Catholic bishops may, back to England, whereupon Wilfrid had to be satisfied with the Abbey Ripon and subsequently saw his task to proselytize in Mercia. However, 669 decided Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, the dispute over the York episcopal throne in favor of Wilfrid, so Chad had to resign. As a substitute, he took the office of bishop in Lichfield, the new diocese of Mercia, to where he supported King Wulfhere in the Christianisation of Mercia and where he died on 2 March 672. The death of the later canonized Chad is also his memorial day.