Ithamar (bishop)

Infobox bishopbiog
name =Ithamar


religion =Catholic
See =Diocese of Rochester
Title = Bishop of Rochester
Period = 644–c656
Predecessor = Paulinus of York
Successor =Damianus
ordination =
bishops =
post =
date of birth =
place of birth =
date of death =between 655 and 664
place of death =Rochester

Infobox Saint
name=Ithamar
birth_date=
death_date=c656
feast_day=June 10
venerated_in=


imagesize=
caption=
birth_place=Kent
death_place=Rochester
titles=
beatified_date=
beatified_place=
beatified_by=
canonized_date=
canonized_place=
canonized_by=
attributes=
patronage=
major_shrine=
suppressed_date=
issues=

Ithamar (Saxon name unknown) was the first bishop in England to be Saxon-born rather than consecrated from among Augustine's Roman missionaries. He was also the first Saxon bishop of Rochester.

Life

He was consecrated by Honorius, and was said by Bede to be:of the Kentish nation, but not inferior to his [episcopal] predecessors for learning and conduct of life. [] .

Upon consecration as bishop in 644,Powicke "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 247] he took his new name from Ithamar, a son of Aaron, from the Old Testament. This practice of taking a new name from the Old Testament doesn't exist in the Gregorian tradition of the Roman Church, but does exist in the Celtic Church. [ [http://ehr.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/117/473/889 Abstract of EHR article] accessed on November 8, 2007]

As bishop, he consecrated Deusdedit as the first Saxon archbishop of Canterbury on 26 March 655.

He died between March 26 655 and 664, probably close to 656, at Rochester.Walsh "A New Dictionary of Saints" p. 287]

After his death he was made a saint and given a shrine at Rochester Cathedral. His feast day is June 10.

ee also

* List of bishops of Rochester

Notes

References

* [http://ehr.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/117/473/889 Abstract of EHR article] accessed on November 8, 2007
* Powicke, F. Maurice and E. B. Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" 2nd. ed. London:Royal Historical Society 1961
* Walsh, Michael "A New Dictionary of Saints: East and West" London: Burns&Oates 2007 ISBN 0-8601-2483-X

External links

* [http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=3879 Catholic Online Saints and Angels: St. Ithamar]
* [http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainti0f.htm Patron Saints Index: Ithamar]

Persondata
NAME=Ithamar
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Bishop of Rochester
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=circa 660
PLACE OF DEATH=Rochester