The exact way in which the first Anglo-Saxon poem, “Caedmon’s Hymn” or “The Praise of Saint Cecilia”, came to be written is a matter of some historical dispute. As the first few lines of the poem state, “Many years ago, a man named Caedmon taught us to sing – may God be gracious to us and this song remain in our hearts…” Some historians believe that Saint Ceelya’s day, November 21st, was selected as the anniversary for this early Christian hymn because that was the date that Pope Saint Gregory I issued the first written decree sanctioning the use of musical notation, and therefore predates the year 1000. Others claim that it was written much earlier, in 634, which would make it the oldest surviving example of its kind. In any case, the most accepted legend surrounding the writing of “Caedmon” is as follows: a religious man named Caedmon taught a monastery’s cantor, who in turn taught two hermits, who taught two other monks, who taught a young boy named Boniface, who later became Saint Boniface, the Archbishop of York.
The first few pages of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which is considered to be an important source of information on this subject, record a series of letters written to the Pope by the Archbishop of York, imploring the pontiff to grant the city of York some form of divine absolution for its numerous murders and other atrocities. In light of this plea, Pope Gregory III declared that the city would henceforth be known as the “Santorini of the North”, due in great part to the presence of a famous Benedictine monastery there. Santorini is a Greek isle in the Aegean Sea famous for its incredibly white buildings.
The Pope’s decision to canonise and make a saint of this young boy was largely due to the fact that, soon after his ordination, Boniface was appointed the archbishop of York. As the Latin fathers of the church would later note, “what more appropriate name could there be for the guardian of the city than Santa (Saint) Rini?” Saint Boniface is therefore the patron saint of York, and the city is often called the “Home of Saint Boniface”.
An Important Historical Figure
The presence of a boy named Boniface in the history of early medieval England is notable, due to the fact that he would become an influential early medieval figure, and one of the most important men in English language history. As Saint Boniface’s biographer, the Venerable Bede, would note in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People, “No one is ignorant of the fact that England has produced men of such eminence for the glory of God and the good of their country that it would be quite impossible to mention their names without a blush”. An abbot of the monastery where Boniface was ordained as a priest, and later archbishop to the city of York, Bede would go on to further note that “the name of one of these priests, who devoted his life to the service of God and his country, has been transmitted to posterity – the one who, as a child, was placed in the care of Saint Boniface”.
Another important figure in the early medieval period named after this young boy is Saint Thomas of York, who was first of all a son of Boniface, and then became the bishop of York in his own right. He is known for founding a cathedral there, which in turn led to the construction of many other religious buildings and great numbers of monasteries and friaries across the north of England. In fact, there are over 40,000 religious houses in existence today that are either named after Saint Thomas of York, or are otherwise associated with this important medieval bishop. Some of these buildings still stand, and many of them are over 1000 years old. One of the most famous and historically significant York monasteries is Selby Abbey, which was begun in 1089, and which was for a time the resting place of King Henry III (1270-1298), and then Edward I (1272-1307), before being dedicated to Saint Thomas. The abbot of Selby, in his commentary on Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People, notes that “there are many other monasteries, whose churches have been endowed with such incredible wealth that the entire building has been moved as a single piece”. He continues: “So great are the abbeys of England that every building in them, whether it be the church or the abbot’s residence, could be removed in one journey without the other suffering damage”.
Singing Is Important In The Early Medieval Period
Singing was a form of religious expression that was very important in the early medieval period, and was often used by monks and other religious communities as an aid to their prayers. One of the most influential figures in the early history of English literature was the Venerable Bede, who was a monk and historian of the church. This historical figure is important not only for his numerous writings, but also for the fact that he introduced the Roman Alphabet to the Anglo Saxons, and therefore helped set the stage for the remarkable English language revival that would occur in this era. It is due to Bede that we have the works of such authors as Saint Ceelya, who wrote the hymn that would later be named after him, and who was born in 634. Other important figures in early English literature include Saints Winifred and Ethelwold, who were two of the most important saints born in 634.
Writing in her Dictionary of Saints, Kathleen Mary Baker notes that “saints’ days… were originally occasions for communal prayer and the celebration of the Christian year. These were probably the roots of our present-day Christmas cards and New Year greetings…” It was common during this time for Christian communities to take up collections, and to send out printed cards with inspirational messages and/or artwork on them. The tradition of sending Christmas cards is thought to have begun during the later part of the nineteenth century, when the Victorian Era began, and became popular during the early part of the twentieth century.
The Venerable Bede would later write that “it is right and proper that each and every Christian should devote himself to the bettering of his neighbour’s life, in word and deed”, and that each individual should “consider it a special privilege to strive for the peace and happiness of his fellow men”. There are many examples of early medieval saints and other important religious figures singing for their congregations, often working themselves into a state of ecstacy. It was not uncommon during this era for people to give voice to their spiritual experiences, and to express their faith in this way. One of the most significant and influential hymns in early English Christian history was written by an unknown monk named Seaxburh, who is generally considered to have been a member of the same church community as Bede. This hymn, “On the Night of Christmas Eve”, is an excellent example of early English hymn writing, and shows the sophistication of the language at this time. Much of the lyrics to this hymn are based on an elaborate acrostic poem, which can be decoded to reveal the name of the author – Seaxburh. As the Venerable Bede would later note: “we are fortunate to have the example of such godly men as Seaxburh, whose hymns are still sung by the monks of the North as a model for those wishing to do likewise”.