Editing Oswiu (section)

== Ealhfrith and the Synod of Whitby ==
{{main|Synod of Whitby}}

In 664 at the [[synod of Whitby]],<ref>The dating is discussed by Kirby, p. 101, who concludes that the synod can confidently be placed in 644.</ref> Oswiu accepted the usages of the Roman Church, which led to the departure of Bishop [[Colmán of Lindisfarne]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} Bede writes that the dispute was brought to a head by Oswiu's son Ealhfrith, who had adopted Roman usages at the urging of [[Wilfrid]].<ref name="HE III 25">Bede, ''Ecclesiastical History'', Book III, Chapter 25.</ref> Ealhfrith had been brought up with Irish-Northumbrian usages, and his rejection of these, along with the expulsion of the future saints [[Cuthbert of Lindisfarne]] and [[Eata of Hexham]] from [[Ripon]], is considered to have had a strong political component.<ref>Higham, ''Convert Kings'', pp. 250–275. For an overview of the [[Easter controversy]], see Stevens.</ref> Equally, 665 would be a year, as Bede writes, "that Easter was kept twice in one year, so that when the King had ended [[Lent]] and was keeping Easter, the Queen and her attendants were still fasting and keeping [[Palm Sunday]]".<ref name="HE III 25"/>