Cedd (Cedda), St.

CEDD (CEDDA), ST.: Bishop of Essex; d, at Lastingham (25 m. n.n.e. of York), Northumbria, Oct. 26, 664. With his youngest brother Ceadda or Chad, he was brought up at Lindisfarne, and was sent in 653 by his abbot, Finan, and Oswy, king of Northumbria, as missionary, first to Peada, king of Mercia, and then to Sigbert, king of Essex. He was very successful and was consecrated bishop of the East Saxons by Finan and two Scotch bishops in 854. He founded two monasteries in Essex and the one at Lastingham and governed them strictly, according to the Columban rules. He was present at the Synod of Whitby in 664 and acted as interpreter; he inclined to the British side, but when the Roman prevailed he acquiesced. He died of the plague while on a visit to Northumbria. He has been called the second bishop of London, but Bede, who is the source of all information concerning him (Hist. eccl., iii. 21–23, 25, 26, 28; iv. 3), never speaks of him as such.