The Cross of St. Cuthbert

St. Cuthbert was a seventh-century Northumbrian monk and bishop who spent his final months as a hermit on the remote island of Inner Farne. When he died there in 687, his body was transported to the monastery at nearby Lindisfarne, where it was washed, dressed in priestly vestments, and interred. According to one source, Cuthbert’s friend and confidant St. Elfleda, the young abbess of Whitby and daughter of the King of Northumbria, was responsible for the burial preparations.

When Cuthbert’s tomb was opened in 1827, a small (6-cm) pectoral cross, exquisitely crafted of gold and garnets, was discovered tucked into the remains of the wrappings. Known as the Cross of St. Cuthbert, the specimen dates to Cuthbert’s era and is considered one of the most historically significant relics of Anglo-Saxon England. Its presence in the grave, however, has puzzled scholars, not least since other surviving crosses of this type are associated with noblewomen. One theory speculates that the pendant was originally owned by the royal-blooded Elfleda and conferred on Cuthbert’s corpse during the funerary vesting both as a mark of affection and in honor of his episcopal dignity.

In 2025, Goretti Fine Art was commissioned to create a depiction of St. Elfleda placing the Cross of St. Cuthbert on the deceased hermit’s breast. The resulting composition beautifully captures the intimate moment in which the saintly abbess bids farewell to her beloved mentor. Washed and laid on a pall, Cuthbert is clad in a monastic hooded alb and early Gothic-style conical chasuble, while the eponymous jewel is rendered with meticulous fidelity to the original artifact. Steeped in a mysterious solemnity that draws the viewer into contemplation, the portrayal pays tribute to the primeval faith of England’s earliest Christians.