Saint Theodore of Tarsus (602-690) Feast Day 19th September

Saint Theodore was Archbishop of Canterbury from 668-690. He came from the same city as Saint Paul but nearly 600 years later.He became famous late in life because very little is known about him until he became Archbishop of Canterbury. He was 66 when he accepted the appointment from Pope Saint Vitalian.

He probably spent many years living in the monastery of Anastasius in Rome
He was learned in Latin and Greek, in literature and philosophy.

Saint Theodore was not the first choice for archbishop. A person called Wighard was chosen first but he died soon after reaching Rome. Adrian, also spelt Hadrian, the African Abbot of a monastery near Naples, was the second choice.
He turned it down and recommended Saint Theodore who was a friend of Pope Vitalian. The Pope stipulated that Adrian should accompany Saint Theodore since he had twice already made the journey to Gaul and knew the road and the mode of travelling. Saint Theodore reached England at the end of May 669.

In his 22 years in charge he set about organizing the English church. When he arrived the Church of England was hardly organized at all. He started a tour round England and found bishoprics empty and made new ones. He let it be seen that the Archbishop of Canterbury was in charge of the whole church. he set up schools at Canterbury. Canterbury became known as a place of learning.

In 672 or 3 he held the first general synod of the English Church at Hertford to end certain Celtic practices and to divide dioceses. It marked another step forward in the efficient organization of the church. Here he suggested the policy of subdividing the big bishoprics based on the land occupied by different tribes and people, not on kingdoms. The division issue was postponed but the synod imposed the date of the Roman Easter, established obedience for clerics and monks, stopped bishops from interfering in other diocese and reaffirmed the church teaching on marriage and divorce

Saint Theodore’s * Penitential* a collection on rulings created by his followers, influenced the church in both England and Europe. His greatest achievement was to adapt the Roman ideal of a centralized church in English conditions.

Saint Theodore was 88 when he died. He was archbishop for 22 years, the 7th Archbishop of Canterbury and the first to rule the whole English Church.

His establishment of a centralized church under the archbishopric of Canterbury, in close alliance with secular rulers, has been maintained by his successors.

Saint Theodore was a gentle and affectionate man but is remembered chiefly because he was a good organizer and manager of men.

Included information about Adrian/ Hadrian.

Sources Wikipedia
Britannica on Line Encyclopedia
Archdiocese of Thyateira & Great Britain
* The Church’s Year* by Charles Alexander