Ceadda

Ceadda is the Old English form of the name Chad and is used for saints from Anglo-Saxon England. The most prominent bearer is Chad of Mercia, a seventh-century bishop associated with the Christianization of the Mercian kingdom. According to tradition, Chad was a monk who became bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey and is commonly regarded as the first bishop of the see at Lichfield. He is remembered for his role in establishing Christianity in central England and for his leadership during a formative period of the church in Mercia. He died in about 672 and is venerated in both Catholic and Anglican traditions; his feast day is on 2 March. Much of what is known about him comes from early sources such as Bede and later hagiographies, which blend historical reminiscence with legend.

The name Ceadda also appears in older sources in connection with saints of the Anglo-Saxon church, reflecting the variety of spellings found in Latin and vernacular manuscripts. In modern scholarship, Chad remains the common reference for the Mercian bishop, while Ceadda serves as the linguistic form found in several medieval texts. The memory of Chad of Mercia is also preserved in local church dedications and in the historical tradition surrounding Lichfield Cathedral, where his legacy is part of the region’s Christian heritage.