Cuthbert of Canterbury

Cuthberth of Canterbury (also Cuthbeorht, Cuthbert, † October 26 760 ) was from 740 until his death, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Cuthberth was the first known abbot of Lyminge, before he was finally appointed as Bishop of Hereford 736 and 740 as Archbishop of Canterbury.

742 he assisted Aethelbald, king of Mercia, at the direction of the first council of Clovesho, on the many privileges for churches and monasteries were confirmed. 747 Cuthbert convened at the request of Pope Zachary, a second council of Clovesho one, which is considered one of the most important ecclesiastical synods of the Anglo-Saxon Church. At this council a total of 31 canonical rules for the monastic life and the duties of priests and bishops were regulated. Special attention was paid to the Catechism for believers in English.

Cuthbert received permission of the Pope, instead of the Church of St. Peter and Paul to use the Christ Church of Canterbury as the burial place of the archbishops. Then, a chapel was built at the eastern end of the cathedral, which was consecrated to St. John the Baptist and henceforth served as a baptistery and as the burial place of the archbishops. He's the first archbishop who was buried there.

Cuthbert wrote several poems have been preserved only two of them. Likewise remained receive a letter from Cuthbert to Lull, the first archbishop of Mainz. This in a Kondulenzbrief in which he mentioned that Boniface should be adopted as the patron saint of the Anglo-Saxons.

758 he led a synod, whose aims and results are not known, however.