Chad was the first bishop of Mercia and Lindsey at Lichfield.
He was chosen by Oswiu, king of Northumbria, as bishop of the Northumbria
see.
Faced with a dearth of bishops in England, Chad was unwise enough to be
consecrated by two dubious British bishops.
Theodore, archbishop of Canterbury, deposed Chad, who retired to Lastingham,
soon however Theodore had a change of heart and reconsecrated Chad to be
bishop of the Mercian's. This unusual step was due to a new opening for
Christianity in Mercia and to the excellent character of Chad himself, he
was recognised as humble, devout, zealous and apostolic.
Chad's Episcopal of three years laid the foundation of the see of Lichfield.
Wulfhere, king of Mercia, gave him fifty hides of land for a monastery at
Barrow; Lincs., Chad also established a monastery close to Lichfield
Cathedral.
The saint died on 2nd March, which is his feast day, and was buried in the
church of St. Mary, he was soon venerated as a saint and his relics were
translated to the Cathedral church of St. Peter in 1148, they were moved
again in 1296 to the Lady Chapel. At some unknown date the head and some
other bones had been separated from the main shrine. Recusants, it was
claimed, preserved some of these, and four large bones, believed to be
Chad's, are in the R C Cathedral of Birmingham.
Written and contributed by Phillip Lloyd.
