January #BookOfTheMonth: St Cuthbert's Corpse
Added about 5 years ago by Sacristy Press
January’s #BookOfTheMonth is David Willem’s St Cuthbert's Corpse: A Life after Death, a book that provides a unique history of St Cuthbert from his death to the present day.
The miracle of St Cuthbert’s incorrupt corpse has been the subject of much fascination since his death over thirteen-hundred years ago, inspiring pilgrims, monks, and even the construction of Durham Cathedral itself. Throughout the centuries, Cuthbert’s coffin has been opened on six occasions.
For the first time, accounts of these openings have been brought together in a single volume, providing a unique history of the Saint from his death to the present day.
Including details of his death and burial, the moment when monks first discovered his remains to be incorrupt, and the most recent exhumation of his relics in 1899, David Willem brings alive the mystery and intrigue of the life of Cuthbert’s corpse, and tries to answer questions such as, “When did the corpse decay?” and, “Is Cuthbert still buried in Durham Cathedral?”
What do our readers and reviewers think of the book?
Elegant, accessible, and movingly written.
Giles E. M. Gasper, Associate Director, Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Durham University
In Christian traditions, curiosity, piety, and awe almost inevitably frame that sensed affinity our own embodiment finds with holy bodies. St Cuthbert’s body is no exception as this book shows in tracing varieties of hope, faith, and experience down the Christian centuries.
Prof. Douglas J. Davies, Director, Centre for Death and Life Studies, Durham University
Easy to read, nicely written, most interesting; definitely recommended.
Stan Brotherton on Amazon
Short, meticulously researched, very well written and referenced and with a more than useful bibliography. It's no dusty religious tract but a fascinating story without an ending. A little gem.
David Lowther on Amazon
A most enjoyable look at the story of St Cuthbert. An era of history I find absolutely fascinating, this book takes a very different angle from your average history or biography and is all the more interesting for it.
D. Miller on Amazon
St Cuthbert's Corpse: A Life after Death is our January #BookOfTheMonth—get your copy today for just £8.99, or get 3 for 2 when you buy all three of our Lindisfarne Gospels books. This title is also available as an e-book.
Keep an eye out for David Willem’s blog later in the month, where he will explore the mystery of St Cuthbert’s famous pectoral cross, housed today in Durham Cathedral’s Open Treasure collection.
Please note: Sacristy Press does not necessarily share or endorse the views of the guest contributors to this blog.