Our father among the saints '''Aidan of Lindisfarne''', Enlightener of Northumbria (?-651), was the founder and first [[bishop]] of the [[monastery]] on the island of [[Lindisfarne]] off the northeast coast of England. A Christian missionary, he is credited with restoring Christianity to Northumbria (Northern England). His [[feast day]] is [[August 31]].

== Life ==

An Irishman, possibly born in Connaught, Aidan was a [[monk]] at the [[monastery]] on the island of [[Iona]] in Scotland.

Aidan chose the island of [[Lindisfarne]], close to the royal castle at Bamburgh, as his [[diocese]]. King Oswald, who spoke Irish Gaelic, often had to translate for Aidan and his monks, who did not speak English at first. When Oswald died in 642, he received continued support from King St. [[Oswin of Deira]], and the two became close friends.

An inspired missionary, St. Aidan would walk from one village to another, politely conversing with the people he saw, slowly interesting them in Christianity. According the legend, the king gave Aidan a horse so that he wouldn't have to walk, but Aidan gave the horse to a beggar. By patiently talking to the people on their own level, Aidan and his monks slowly restored Christianity to the Northumbrian communities. Aidan also took in twelve English boys to train at the monastery, to ensure that the area's future religious leadership would be English.