Theodore of Tarsus (602-19 September 690)
St. Theodore of Tarsus was sent by Pope Vitalian of Rome
to take the place of the Anglo Saxon candidate for Bishop, Wighard who had died
in Rome. Theodore, already 65, a monk, but not yet
presbyter turned out to be an excellent man for the job. He worked out differences between Roman and
Celtic traditions, filled vacant Bishoprics and organized the very first council
of the Church of England. He was,
according to Bede the first Archbishop whom all the English obeyed. He organized dioceses, set boundaries and
basically organized the English church. One
of his organizational details is still used by our church. Twenty five percent of the offering to the
poor, twenty five percent to maintaining the church, twenty five per cent to
the clergy for maintenance of the altar and clergy and twenty five per cent to
the bishop for his expenses and misson.
He also founded a
school which was attended by Celts and English, helping to unify the
traditions, and which taught Greek, Latin, poetry, astronomy and calendar
calculation.
When Theodore arrived,
things were a mess. When he died twenty three years later at the age of 88 on
19 September, 690, the church was organized and ready for mission.
http://satucket.com/lectionary/Theodore_Tarsus.htm
Collect: Heavenly Father, you sent Theodore to
organize and put right the church of England and to reconcile the church
of the English with the Church of the Celts.
Raise up among us, clergy and laity, who will help organise the church
today so that it would be an effective means of evangelising the world in which
we live. This we ask in the name of
Yeshua, who lives and reigns with you and Ruach ha Kodesh, one God in Glory everlasting. Amen.
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