Chad was the youngest of 4 brothers, all of whom became priests. He was a pupil of Aidan at Lindisfarne and at a young age came as a monk to his brother Cedd’s monastery at Lastingham in Yorkshire. On his brother’s death in 664, Chad became abbot of Lastingham and was happy in the peace and quietness he found. Watch the story of his childhood at Sext (Lunchtime).

The church in Britain was in considerable confusion in the mid-7th century. Some order was brought by the Synod of Whitby (664), the church in the north opted for the developing Roman tradition, and proper organization was eventually established by Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, on his arrival in 669. Immediately after the Synod of Whitby, Wilfrid, a firm supporter of the Roman method for calculating the date of Easter, was made bishop of York, but sought valid consecration in France rather than from dubious British bishops. He was absent so long that King Oswy appointed Chad as bishop instead. Chad accepted consecration from the Bishop Wini and 2 other bishops whose consecration was in doubt. On his return, Wilfrid didn't challenge Chad’s position. Theodore, pointed out the irregularity of Chad’s consecration (a botched election) and asked him to step down in favour of Wilfrid. This Chad graciously did and retired to the abbey at Lastingham.

In 669 King Wulfhere of Mercia asked Theodore to appoint a bishop for the region. Theodore, having sorted out Chad’s consecration, sent him to be bishop of Mercia, a very large diocese which stretched from the River Severn to the eastern coast of England. In order to have a more central base in the diocese, Chad moved the official residence of the bishop from Repton to Lichfield. He travelled extensively round his diocese, mostly on foot, until because of his old age and the size of the diocese, Archbishop Theodorus forbade him continuing on foot and gave him a horse. Chad refused to take the horse, so the Archbishop physically picked him up and set him on the animal. Chad relented and accepted the horse, which he found was a great benefit to his ministry.

Chad was much loved for his gentleness, humility and the great holiness of his life, patterned on the example of the ancient fathers. He tirelessly worked at spreading the gospel and is said to have founded the monastery of Barrow. Chad was bishop of Mercia for only 3 years, he died of the plague. He was venerated as a saint. A magnificent shrine to house his relics was erected in Lichfield Cathedral in the 14th century.

BORN: Kingdom of Northumbria, (England).

DIED:2 March 672 AD, Lichfield, England