Theodore was born in Asia Minor in 602 in Saint Paul’s native city of Tarsus. He was ordained as Archbishop of Canterbury by Pope Vitalian on March 26th, 668.

A learned monk of the East, Theodore was residing in Rome when the English church, decimated by plague and torn with strife over rival Celtic and Roman customs, was in need of strong leadership. Theodore provided this for a generation, beginning his episcopate at an age when most people ar…