The incorrupt body of St Cuthbert - the story of the relics of a Saxon saint

This video tells the extraordinary story of the relics of one of England's best loved medieval saints, St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne - how dying on a remote island off the coast of England, he came to be buried in one of the grandest cathedrals built in the Gothic age. Using contemporary sources, it looks at the remarkable evidence that St Cuthbert's body remained incorrupt and without decay for nearly 900 years.

[@nadiabrook7871]

St Cuthbert is one of my favourite church heroes!! I've visited both Lindisfarne and Durham Cathedral, and was deeply moved at both places!! 💖👍

[@allanbarton]

I am yet to go to Lindisfarne - one place on my list for next year. Durham was a really moving experience for me too

[@ccarterglass]

I have pilgrimaged to Durham from Maryland, USA and prostrated myself upon the tomb of Holy Cuthbert the Wonderworker. Whether his incorruption is an act of God or natural it is miraculous. St. Cuthbert pray for those of us who struggle still in sin, that we may be granted life at the final resurrection.

[@allanbarton]

Amen.

[@bessofhardwick9311]

Poor Cuthbert! He just wanted a bit of peace, but they wouldn't leave him alone even after he was dead! Thanks again for uploading this very interesting video.

[@caropapa]

Ok i love the thought of archeology but not when it comes to disturbing a person`s resting place, those kinds of people [ archeologist`s ] have no morals, they are nothing but glorified tomb robber`s especially when it comes to the tombs in Egypt. I have not looked at the video yet but when i read your comment hence my rant.

[@helenbond8893]

@@caropapa You should probably watch the video, because archeologists had nothing to do with Cuthberts body

[@annemiekeblondeel6617]

Saint Cuthbert, pray for us

[@christopherdrekr1078]

Amen 🙏

[@rickwightman2366]

I was born in Durham 60 years ago and was christened as I like to say, "over the bones of St. Cuthbert". Left for Canada when I was 3 and have never been back. Hope to fix that soon. Thanks for a solid piece of work about the saint.

[@Pe0ads]

Absolutely fascinating. As a low-church Protestant increasingly interested in apostolic/high-church/traditional Christianity (particularly Orthodoxy), this a a fantastic watch. You handled the topic very sensitively. Looking forward to the next video.

[@allanbarton]

Thanks for you kind comment. I'm a former Anglican priest, now an Orthodox layman. If you would like further chat about these things, do get in touch. My journey was long, but I started with a similar increasing interest in Orthodoxy. God bless you.

[@ButterBobBriggs]

@@allanbarton my journey to Orthodoxy is almost complete. St Cuthbert is my Patron saint. Please do more church tours, especially recently discovered iconography hidden under layers of whitewash. From what I understand, before Henry VIII, parish churches looked very much "orthodox", walls covered from floor to ceiling. I loved your video about the small church with stone altar, arched prosphora nook, and rood screen.

[@Dan-mw1le]

@@allanbarton I’m an Orthodox convert also and was waiting with baited breath for the whole of the video for an indication about your personal belief regarding the possibility of incorruption. Your mention of Russian and Green saints piqued my interest. It great to see/hear of other converts. I will follow this channel closely! Glory to God!

[@allanbarton]

@@ButterBobBriggs God bless you Bob on your journey to Orthodoxy. More church tours coming I'm glad you liked the one of Coates. English churches are so bittersweet, so much survives, but so much has been lost.

[@allanbarton]

@@Dan-mw1le thank you, may God bless you. Thanks for the follow. My personal belief is that it is miraculous - but I am a western trained historian so like to try to keep a balanced viewpoint on this, stating the facts of the matter and allowing others to draw conclusions.

[@spiderb3367]

St Cuthbert pray for us. More like this 👍🏼

[@jpm9316]

What an incredible video! I am totally smitten with your channel, and can’t wait to hear more about St Cuthbert’s relics. Wishing you well from southern New Jersey, USA!

[@allanbarton]

Thank you very much, I'm so glad you're enjoying my channel!

[@carolerice5944]

You have a very lovely voice which makes watching these informative and excellent videos even more enjoyable. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge.

[@romo9122]

Love these kind of docu's. So detailed. Lots of info and pictures and you have a great voice! ❤🇳🇱

[@allanbarton]

Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed it!

[@jamesallison4875]

Wonderful story telling!

[@jonathanreeve7823]

My patron saint is St Cuthbert. We are returning to Durham and Lindisfarne this weekend, and we will pray for you at the shrine. I believe in the incorruption of the saint. As you said, this isn’t an isolated occurrence in orthodoxy. Thank you for your work and looking forward to the next videos.

[@allanbarton]

That is kind of you, have a wonderful and blessed pilgrimage to these holy places. Please pray for my son Edward Cuthbert at the shrine.

[@wendy9555]

I love the fact that there are mysteries that humankind cannot explain, even today, just like The Turin Shroud. More please. This is such an inspiring story/account.

[@readmylisp]

The Turin shroud has been fully investigated, unfortunately not genuine. "Relics" were big business.

[@marypalmer1062]

Bet you are a popular dinner guest. So interesting. Well done!

[@garywait3231]

Thanks for this informative and reverent footnote to a pilgrimage I made to Durham Cathedral and the saint's resting place more than a half century ago -- one of the many visits to historic religious sites in the UK (I am an 80-plus American cleric who enjoys them as both religious and architectural sites) to which you have led us in your excellent videos. Many thanks.

[@marilynwoolford-chandler1161]

It was my privilege to attend our local St Cuthbert's Church. What an extraordinary storyhis is .

[@SerbFromTheLeft]

Holy Wonderworker Cuthbert pray to God for us!

[@novianovioTV]

I do like these local Saints. I’m from York and ours is St William. Our friends in the north east certainly have a good one in St Cuthbert.

[@Tibbs736]

Thank you so much for making this video, it was a joy to watch. I was very glad to hear that St Oswalds relics likely still survive in the same coffin as I wasn't sure if they still existed.

[@allanbarton]

Thank you for your kind words. The next video is about St Oswsld's relics, so watch this space. His skull is only partially preserved, sadly, but is still in Cuthbert's coffin. It is quite extraordinary.

[@Tibbs736]

@@allanbarton That's very exciting, any relics are better than none!

[@MrBulky992]

There were others in St Oswald's Priory in Gloucester. Only the main body of the ruined church is accessible to the public: the eastern end with a crypt beneath is part of a private house.

[@earthdweller2594]

Holy Hierarch Father Cuthbert, pray to God for us! Answer to question asked: Miraculous. Lovely video.

[@allanbarton]

Amen and thank you.

[@lmtt123]

St Cuthbert wouldn't even know what you mean, thankfully

[@airingcupboard]

Excellent video. Thanks!

[@allanbarton]

Glad you liked it!

[@airingcupboard]

Honestly this channel is a gem@@allanbarton

[@EllenCFarmGirl]

I am so thrilled I found your KZbin channel. I love love your work! I love history and find many sites do not dive into the depth you do. I’d love to subscribe to your magazine, however, as I reside in the US, it appears I cannot get to your web page. Any suggestions? I will be watching every one of your vlogs and am working my way through your playlist! Thank you again!❤

[@allanbarton]

Bless you and thank you for your kind words and encouragement. You should be able to order the magazine as I have had a few orders from the US, I wonder what has happened. Let me know if it fails again and I can arrange for another way to sort it out. If you love this channel you will love the magazine.

[@shaunmcalister5024]

I lead the tours of Durham Cathedral Museum so this was a fascinating watch. You say we don’t know who the other bones buried with Cuthbert are - but I believe there is plenty of evidence to suggest they belong to earlier Bishops of Lindisfarne, brought with the monks when they left the island, as well as numerous bones of children which according to a medieval relic list of Durham where believed to be the bones of the Holy Innocent, the children killed by Herod.

[@allanbarton]

Thanks very much for your comment Shaun. That is really interesting, I know the other sack of bones found in the coffin in 1104 were those of Boisil, Abbot of Melrose. Is there a complete list to your knowledge of relics belonging to the priory before the Dissolution? When I got my copy of the Rites of Durham off the shelf to look at the 1539 account, I failed to check that and it's some years since I read the whole thing, so can't recall if such a list is recorded there. The way the bones were arranged in the coffin when found by Raine in 1827, does suggest that whoever reinterred Cuthbert went out of their way to salvage as much as possible in the hope of better times.

[@shaunmcalister5024]

@@allanbarton Our archives have a relic list from 1383 though the reference for it escapes me while I’m not in the office! This includes the reference to the bones of the Holy Innocents, unicorn horn, griffins claw (Ibex horn now in the British Museum) and an elephants egg.

[@allanbarton]

@@shaunmcalister5024 thank you for this lead. I have now found the 'ROTULI FERETRARIORUM' of 1383 was published along with various fabric rolls in the 19th century by the Surtees Society. Lots of very fascinating objects in the feretory area, including a griffin claw, griffins and elephant's eggs - the Black rood of Scotland (pilaged by Edward I), the milk of the virgin Mary and lots of relics of clothing. A number of books were considered relics through their association with Cuthbert, including numerous gospels, one of which is presumably the 'Stonyhurst Gospel'.

[@shaunmcalister5024]

@@allanbarton That’s the one! Yes, the SG will be one of them. That one in particular was kept in a silk bag and put round the neck of pilgrims deemed important enough when they visited the shrine.

[@jupite1888]

So many fantastic historical and interesting stories around, lucky we have you to show them to us.

[@allanbarton]

Very happy to oblige, thanks for watching!

[@penelopehammerton2907]

Thank you so much for an incredible video, so much detail eagerly listened to by myself

[@allanbarton]

Glad you liked it, thanks for watching!

[@Bus_Driver_Jay]

Amazing video, Dr Barton. It’s like being back in your classroom in Lampeter. Happy days! Jay

[@allanbarton]

Thanks Jason, those were the days - you were all such a pleasure to teach.

[@Bus_Driver_Jay]

@@allanbarton I'm flattered you not only think so, but remember too! Especially when those seizures often meant I missed classes! While I again forget the name, the logos based on names used by the merchants still remain my favourite!

[@allanbarton]

@@Bus_Driver_Jay Merchants' marks - they were very memorable times for me.

[@Bus_Driver_Jay]

@@allanbarton merchants mark! That's the name!

[@panteleimon22]

Excellent video. Thank you for making this. Very much looking forward to Saint Oswald.

[@allanbarton]

Thank you Guy for you kind comment. St Oswald is now up on the page too.

[@johnpecoraro1720]

Well Done! Thank you!!

[@danielhubschmitt7897]

Only comment is that your volume is way too low for some reason. Otherwise great stuff

[@allanbarton]

This was the first video I'd ever done and I was still experimenting with the software. Agreed it is far too low, corrected from thereon in.

[@Xanaseb]

My belief: the Lord allowed his body to decay as a symbol of the decay of the Church in England. Great video, many thanks

[@lmtt123]

And your belief would be erroneous

[@conmckfly]

I really find your presentations to be fascinating. Well told. Thank you! (From California USA)

[@allanbarton]

Thank you very much! Glad you're enjoying my videos 😊.

[@stevedunn3113]

Really enjoyed your presentation, Allan. I tend to the mummification, air denial theory, however, there's always a margin for error and perhaps the Divine did look favourably on Cuthbert's human body.

[@allanbarton]

Thanks Steve. I suppose we will never know. The examples I showed of three incorrupt saints were very different, two of them at least were mummified by dessication.

[@stevedunn3113]

@@yyy-875 Thank you.

[@rodolfoayalajr.8589]

Great 👍 educational video. Prayers for us Amen 🙏.

[@allanbarton]

Thank you.

[@michaeljking]

Looking forward to more videos, I have always had a deep fascination to St Cuthbert’s St Johns Gospel/Stoneyhurst gospel ever since I saw it 30 years ago, They used to turn the pages in the British museum back then and they were a joy to behold and so legible in clear Latin, on my last two visits to the British Library the book was closed but the cover is still magnificent. Love this time period, and early church, the orthodox connection and desert fathers influence on the Irish church and then Northumbrian/dates of Easter etc. if you ever do a video on your Orthodox journey I would be very interested!

[@allanbarton]

The survival of the Stonyhurst gospels is in its self close to miraculous. The binding is the earliest western binding to remain intact and the leather is still flexible. I may well do a video about my journey in due time, it is a long and complicated story - I relate some of the story here. medievalart.co.uk/2019/09/03/tears-butterflies-and-grouse-a-pilgrimage-to-the-shrine-of-st-melangell/

[@michaeljking]

@@allanbarton They said the same about St Cuthbert's body as well! ;-)(each time they opened the coffin and removed it, it still being together and flexible) I will check your website out thanks!

[@northernsoul3485]

Are you getting Orthodox mixed up with Catholic? I know Vatican is plagued by demons and can understand Orthodox Church also being part of Christs originals but the fact that so many comments are from protestants going to Orthodox suggests a deep seated anti Catholic bias. Could anyone say why they have totally bypassed Catholicism in favour of Orthodox??

[@joycemichelin250]

Volume fixed😊. A joy to watch. As usual.

[@MadHatterDJ-]

Whatever the truth, I’m glad he landed on that peninsula. Durham Cathedral is my Cathedral, living in country Durham. It’s our pride and joy.

[@allanbarton]

Such an extraordinary building and location. I'm glad you are proud of it.

[@amymahers2957]

Very interesting. The condition of the body prolly degraded with each opening and exposure. It is fascinating as to how and why his took nearly 900 years to do so. Enjoyed this video very much. Thank you.

[@orlando1a1]

Hi Allan. Thank you for another excellent video in which I learned more about St Cuthbert. I realise it's long shot that you might not see this comment, but was fascinated by the pile of books to the left of you and wondered 2what the large book was? Please forgive the randomness of this question.

[@laurag7295]

Wonderful!

[@carol.luna.stella]

Just found this video, it was fascinating for me. I have visited Durham cathedral forty years ago, but also I grew up in a Church of Scotland church called St Cuthberts in Argyll.

[@Noonespecial237]

Dry well done again. Subscribed

[@allanbarton]

Much appreciated! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@CrowSkeleton]

Gosh, Saint Alexander looks so fresh! That's what a holy hardy life and a lead coffin does for a fellow, I suppose...I'm astonished to hear St. Cuthbert was so floppy for that long, though apparently Xin Zhui was in her sweet-smelling mystery embalming wash, too. I wonder if Cuthbert was originally washed down with wine and frankinsense as well.

[@lievenmoelants]

Seems very interesting, pity that the sound is so low...

[@AnnabelleBeaudoin]

Great video 👍

[@wanya_telborn]

Love your channel ❤

[@allanbarton]

Thank you very much.

[@allanbarton]

Let me know your thoughts. Incorrupt relics, do they have a natural or a miraculous explanation?

[@gheiberg59]

Allow me to answer a question with a question: - If they have a natural explanation, where are all the incorrupt remains of ordinary people?

[@allanbarton]

@@gheiberg59absolutely. I'm of the view that the rational/miraculous, reality/unreality dichotomy that is favoured in the west simply makes little sense. As an Orthodox Christian I have seen and heard about enough of the miraculous to know that anything is possible and that God doesn't always play by his own rules.

[@kathrynwilson6749]

@@gheiberg59 In museums mostly.

[@kathrynwilson6749]

If Cuthbert's remains were slow to decay and no type of preserving methods were used his hermit lifestyle may have helped slow decay. A limited diet would lead to fat loss, muscle wasting and critically low gut flora. All of which would, with favourable environmental conditions, preserve his corpse for a good while.

[@GP52408]

I'm satisfied to put this in the mental category of "unknown," but it's a fascinating history!

[@penelopehammerton2907]

Sorry cont... can't wait for the next one. 🤗👍

[@marypalmer1062]

Cuthbert was an enlightened being. Buddha, Jesus Mohammed and more. Love learning from you.

[@joules531]

Extremely interesting. thanks for sharing. Audio is a little on the quiet side though.

[@allanbarton]

My first video, I hadn't mastered the technology. I had to get my fifteen year old son to sort it out!

[@TerryC69]

Hi Allan! What a remarkable story! Of a necessity, you had to condense the details for the presentation, but it was enough to whet my curiosity for more. Any recommendations for further reading? I am very thankful for your efforts with this channel. Bless you. P.S. Please point me in the correct direction for the next video in this series.

[@sirwholland7]

Down check only for low audio level only to have my ears blown out by commercials. (Otherwise loved the info.)

[@allanbarton]

I am sorry about that, this was my first attempt at a video and I still had lots to learn.

Cuddy, by Benjamins Myers, is a fictionalised account of the story of St. Cuthbert and Durham Cathedral and has just picked up the Goldsmiths prize.

[@toniblackmore3016]

Can I just say 😳! Alfred the relic collector sounds so much better than grave robber, corpse fiddler (oh my, how much brushing does the hair of a dead person need?), or deranged organiser of post-death head snuggles. Honoring saints by scattering bits of them about the place just seems to have been BAU at the time, and not a bit depraved!

[@allanbarton]

They had a different sensibility to modern western people. To be honest the idea that someone had a permanent grave is a modern idea and bones were dug up routinely, they wouldn't have batted an eyelid.

[@wendyslittleprogram3984]

Durham Cathedral is almosy literally on my doorstep. I walk there frequently to attend services. Absolutely majestic, but unfortunately some of the recent activity there ruins the atmosphere.

[@Brando_M]

Hello sir, have you uploaded the video of the 19th century excavation of St Cuthbert? I don't see it in your channel. Btw, wonderful video thank you very much.

[@artdanks4846]

Fascinating!! The Celtic Saints are all so very important! It was thru studying the Celtic Church that God allowed me to convert from Protestantism to Eastern Orthodoxy. These Celtic Saints were all prior to Great Schism of 1054 AD, and therefore are considered as both Catholic and Orthodox Saints. There are surprisingly many parallels between Celtic Christianity and Eastern Orthodoxy. Saints Cuthbert, Aidan, and Columcille (and others), pray for us!

[@allanbarton]

Ah the same - I am now an Orthodox Deacon. I went on a pilgrimage for ten days around England and Wales asking for the intercession of the saints of this land in my journey. I will pray for you on your journey.

[@artdanks4846]

@@allanbarton That is so awesome! I got goosebumps just reading this! I'm a Tonsured Reader. May God continue to bless you work, Fr. Deacon!

[@FullMetalAmerican]

I have seen the remains of an incorupt Saint myself while on a pilgrimage to an Orthodox cathedral.

[@davidhowe6905]

9:15 There's a parallel to this in the Buddhist tradition; after the Buddha's death, the local people wanted to carry his body in a certain direction, but couldn't lift it, as the spirits wanted it carried in a different direction!

[@kellyfrost1052]

Volume is too low and variable.

[@Pe0ads]

A totally boring sidenote - the audio was _very_ quiet! I had to turn my speakers up a lot. Might want to adjust audio levels for future videos :)

[@allanbarton]

Thanks for the helpful feedback, my wife said the same.

[@gheiberg59]

@Stockport - Thanks for the reminder... might have blown my speakers on the next bit of audio I played... 🙂

[@allanbarton]

My eldest son has fixed the problem for the next video.

[@adbraham]

Very interesting, although the recording is a little quiet

[@1963Benedict]

Clearly miraculous.

[@janicegobin6935]

Thank you for. Your video but it's Very difficult to hear and i had to give up unfortunately.

[@jennyhunter9346]

Can you point me to the follow up video you talk about here? I can’t find it in the playlist

[@WickedFelina]

There is a Chinese noble woman Lady... the name escapes me! She was wrapped in tons silk robes a sealed coffin, and buried in charcoal. She is considered the best preserved mummy in world. She too has flexible limbs. Her organs are intact. I am surprised that Saint Cuthbert's body didn't deteriorate when wrapping were removed and the air hitting him? It would be a great mystery for science to solve

[@allanbarton]

There are quite a few saints now who are similarly preserved. Look up St John of Shanghai and San Francisco - he is incorrupt and intact.

[@stanlygirl5951]

The Lady Dai, perhaps?

[@therealhellkitty5388]

Yes, Lady Dai.

[@WickedFelina]

@@therealhellkitty5388 Yes, thank you!

[@susane5153]

Dude had to die to get a little alone time, and they still wouldn't leave him alone.

[@stuartfisher8419]

At times grisly but nevertheless astonishing.

[@jsmcguireIII]

Beware to those of a nervous disposition.

[@jeffbaxter8770]

I cannot understand why they would have constantly messed with his body over a period of hundreds of years! Not surprising then that his body finally succumbed to time & the elements. Bizarre. About 12 years ago I was given the opportunity to view a recently exhumed muslim man, who was found to be uncorrupted, but I refused.

[@allanbarton]

They say the past is another country, to people in the past and even many cultures in the present this is not unusual. Our current attitude to death in western countries where we shy away from dead bodies and the dead are simply left alone is one that it is only 100 years or so old. Even 150 years ago in this country we routinely exhumed the remains of people so fresh corpses could be buried. The presence attitude in our culture, probably develops as a consequence of the horror of the First World War.

[@cshaw9683]

When will you make more videos about Cuthbert?

[@allanbarton]

Soon, I have one on the treasures in preparation.

[@therealhellkitty5388]

This is what happens when you don’t attend the meetings, someone goes and elects you Bishop of Lindisfarn… happens every time. I wonder if saints knew ahead of time that they were going to be parted out and passed around. Exclusion of air, bacteria and insects are critical to preservation of bodies, he didn’t have much of a chance to sit still and rot for a very long time.

[@ericneilson1198]

So his remains were intact in the shrine within the nested coffin but deteriorated once buried? (Humidity maybe?)

[@lmtt123]

Just like St Cuthbert, I am a Roman Catholic in an unbroken tradition of over 2000 years and just like Saint Cuthbert, I acknowledge the Pope as head of the Church. There's nothing about St Cuthbert which is Orthodox and he was always obedient to the Catholic Church.

[@jleroy49]

I know it wouldn't be English history, but have you thought of doing a video on the botched embalming of Pius XII?

[@frederickanderson1860]

A Chinese Princess incorruptible body was found it was 2000 yrs old. Xin zhui was her name. That is a miracle and she no saint.

[@allanbarton]

I have seen photos, quite remarkable.

[@frederickanderson1860]

@@allanbarton for sure so that overshadowed your views of so called incorruptible saints. Miracle or just advanced science

[@allanbarton]

@@frederickanderson1860 I don't think it does Xin Zhui's tomb was found intact in a controlled environment - whereas St Cuthbert's body was constantly being carted around, there were constant fluctuations in temperature and the opening and closing of his coffin.

[@frederickanderson1860]

@@allanbarton whatever it was a very advanced achievement then. The only body that was incorruptible is Jesus . Peter quoted from psalm 16v 10. David Solomon all the others saw corruption .

[@frederickanderson1860]

@@yyy-875 holy holy holy is the Lord God almighty. God does not have a equal regards holiness.

[@jameswhyard2858]

Volume?

[@allanbarton]

First video - I was a technical moron at that stage, I've learnt a lot since!

[@jameswhyard2858]

@@allanbarton Thanks, it's just that as a Veteran I'm nearly deaf, not your fault Squire....

[@jeffbaxter8770]

Cannot hear your narration. South Africa 🇿🇦 my forebears hail from Bishop Wearmouth.

[@allanbarton]

My first video, I hadn't mastered the technology!!!!

[@NothingToNoOneInParticular]

What is a ferah tree? Spelling? I'd like to look it up, no luck without a proper spelling.

[@allanbarton]

Feretory - it is a shrine container for the whole body of a saint.

[@NothingToNoOneInParticular]

@@allanbarton I would love an episode explaining different parts of shrines and/or churches. Thank you for the spelling help the CC calls it a ferret tree sometimes.

[@bertassellodavide1297]

😃🥂👍

[@gregkarkowsky967]

dig him up again and check it out. Why not? they did.

[@diannegunn1243]

Perhaps Cuthbert continued his sea bathing as before in the last year of his life. The ocean salts could have gone a long way in preserving him before his death.

[@therealhellkitty5388]

Homeostasis would have prevented this. People don’t marinate while alive.

[@denisefuentes7905]

Corrupt? That’s funny.

[@delphinidin]

saponification

[@peterkrauss6962]

The demonic folowers of king Henry viii.

[@KenDelloSandro7565]

*+SANCTE CVTHBERTE, ORA PRO NOBIS*

[@MrDC1954]

Ich konnte nur ne verschimmelte Leiche erkennen. Nix unverwest. Blödsinn.

[@PianoDave1865]

I want to watch this video, but the volume during recording was too low. I have my volume is on 100%.🥲