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COLUMN: Visiting the Shrine of St Cuthbert taught me to pause and think


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Food for Thought by Simon Scott

Immediately behind the high altar in the great Norman cathedral at Durham lies the Shrine of St Cuthbert – one of the north of England’s best loved saints.

St Cuthbert was Bishop of Lindisfarne (c 636-687) and his body was brought to Durham in 995 and laid in the original Saxon cathedral that stood on the same site.

Simon Scott.
Simon Scott.

The original elaborately jewelled medieval shrine was destroyed at the Reformation, but St Cuthbert’s body remains beneath a poignantly eloquent marble slab.

I first came across this sacred space when I was training for the ministry – some of our residential courses were based at St John’s College (part of Durham University) - and what a very special space it is.

Right at the heart of the cathedral, surrounded by tourists eager to see where scenes from Harry Potter were filmed, one comes across the shrine.

Encircled by pilgrims silent in reverent prayer lies Cuthbert.

For over a thousand years, Christians have made their way here, inspired by the saint’s life of holiness and simplicity and to ask for help and healing through his prayers.

The great irony of course, is that Cuthbert wanted to be buried on the island of Inner Farne, where he had made his home.

Given Durham Cathedral’s association with Norman power and pride, I think it safe to say his earthly remains have ended up in a place that Cuthbert himself would not have chosen to spend much time when living.

I think being in that place, knowing that Cuthbert ended up in a place unexpected, but somehow just right, struck a chord with me at that particular time.

On the road to ordained ministry, I too found myself in an unexpected place.

A place that interfered with my rocketing career in education and demanded sacrifices on my time and energy. But a place that was somehow “just right”.

I think it was in that place that I consciously surrendered all - that I became obedient to God’s call on my life.

As human beings, many of us find ourselves in unexpected places and situations where we, like Cuthbert, stand in juxtaposition to what is going on in our lives.

Our friends laugh at a very coarse joke, members of our family express political and social opinions that jar our conscience.

It’s hard for us not to simply surrender and be drawn into making judgemental statements or find humour in mocking those who are “different”.

But that shrine, in the heart of that bustling cathedral, reminds us that it is possible.

As enraptured tourists enter that space, the cameras are put down, the chattering stops.

They sense that this is something special, something reverent, and they pause in the silence – perhaps only for a minute, but they do pause – and they sit and think a while.

The Shrine of St Cuthbert reminds us that it is okay not to appear as busy, entertaining and famous as the rest of the building.

If we know that what is being said is not right or it makes us uncomfortable, it’s okay to pause, to keep silent, and hopefully others will pause – and sit and think a while too.

Father Simon Scott is the priest in charge at St Finnbarr’s Episcopal Church, Dornoch.

Services at St Finnbarr’s are held at 11am on Sundays and 10.30am on Wednesdays.

The Shrine of St Cuthbert can be found in Durham Cathedral.
The Shrine of St Cuthbert can be found in Durham Cathedral.

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