Editing Lindisfarne (section)

==== Founding and early years ====

[[File:Lindisfarne Priory ruins and St. Aidan statue.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Modern statue of [[St Aidan]] beside the ruins of the medieval priory]] The monastery of Lindisfarne was founded around 634 by the Irish monk [[Aidan of Lindisfarne|Aidan]], who had been sent from [[Iona]] off the west coast of Scotland to [[Northumbria]] at the request of [[Oswald of Northumbria|King Oswald]]. The abbey was founded before the end of 634 and Aidan remained there until his death in 651.{{sfn|Stenton|1987|p=118}} The abbey and its church remained the only seat of a bishopric in Northumbria for nearly thirty years.{{sfn|Stenton|1987|p=118}} [[Finan of Lindisfarne|Finan]] (bishop 651–661) built a timber church "suitable for a [[Cathedra|bishop's seat]]".{{sfn|Stenton|1987|p=119}} [[Bede]], however, was critical of the fact that the church was not built of stone but only of hewn oak thatched with reeds. A later bishop, Eadbert, removed the thatch and covered both walls and roof in lead.<ref>{{harvnb|Loyn|1962|p=275}} quoting {{harvnb|Bede|1896|loc=II, 16; III, 25}}</ref> An abbot, who could be the bishop, was elected by the brethren and led the community. Bede comments on this:

{{blockquote|And let no one be surprised that, though we have said above that in this island of Lindisfarne, small as it is, there is found the seat of a bishop, now we say also that it is the home of an abbot and monks; for it actually is so. For one and the same dwelling-place of the servants of God holds both; and indeed all are monks. Aidan, who was the first bishop of this place, was a monk and always lived according to monastic rule together with all his followers. Hence all the bishops of that place up to the present time exercise their episcopal functions in such a way that the abbot, who they themselves have chosen by the advice of the brethren, rules the monastery; and all the priests, deacons, singers and readers and other ecclesiastical grades, together with the bishop himself, keep the monastic rule in all things.<ref>{{harvnb|Bede|c. 730}} in {{harvnb|Colgrave|1940|pp=207–09}} cited by {{harvnb|Blair|1977|pp=133–34}}</ref>}}

Following the death of bishop [[Finan of Lindisfarne|Finan]] in 661, Colman became [[Bishop of Lindisfarne]]. There were significant liturgical and theological differences with the fledgling Roman party based at [[Canterbury]]. According to Stenton: "There is no trace of any intercourse between these bishops [the Mercians] and the see of Canterbury".{{sfn|Stenton|1987|p=120}} The [[Synod of Whitby]] in 663 changed this, as allegiance switched southwards to Canterbury and then to Rome. Colman departed his see for Iona, and for the next few years Lindisfarne had no bishop.  Under a new line of bishops aligned with Canterbury Lindisfarne became the base for Christian evangelism in the [[Northern England|North of England]], and also sent a successful mission to [[Mercia]]. Monks from the Irish community of [[Iona Abbey|Iona]] settled on the island.