St Theodore of Canterbury 

St Theodore of Canterbury (also known as Theodore of Tarsus) was Archbishop of Canterbury from AD 668 to 690 and is honoured as a saint and teacher of the Church in England. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia, in modern day Turkey, around AD 602 and spent much of his early life in the Greek-speaking Christian world before living in Rome.

Pope Vitalian appointed Theodore to Canterbury after the death of the archbishop-elect Wighard. Theodore was ordained and consecrated in Rome on 26 March 668, and he arrived to take up the see in 669.

In Canterbury, Theodore strengthened the organisation and discipline of the English Church. He convened synods to establish common rules and to maintain unity of teaching, including a synod at Hatfield that affirmed orthodox doctrine in the context of the Monothelite controversy, a seventh-century dispute about whether Christ has one will or two.

Theodore also promoted learning. Together with Hadrian, he established a school at Canterbury that became known for a wide curriculum and helped form a generation of English church leaders.

St Theodore died on 19 September, his feast day, in 690.