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St. John of Beverley, Bishop of York


VII/VIII Centuries
Born at Harpham and educated at Canterbury, St. John of Beverley was a monk at Whitby and succeeded St. Eata as bishop of Hexham c. 687. John had ordained his student, the Venerable Bede, to the diaconate, and as bishop, John ordained Bede to the priesthood. When St. Theodore of Canterbury divided the see of York, he appointed John Bishop of York in 705, although St. Wilfrid claimed the see and had appealed to Pope Agatho against the intruder. Wilfrid, however, conceded that John was a better bishop and became the bishop of Hexham. In 717, John retired to Inderawood, a forest monastery which he had established. John died at Beverley (as Inderawood is now called) in 721.

In the X Century, King Athelstan attributed his victory over the Scots to the intercessions of John of Beverley, whom Benedict IX canonized in 1037. Henry V acknowledged St. John's intercession for his victory at Agincourt (1415). Julian of Norwich was also devoted to St. John.

Karen Rae Keck

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