A religious leader from the 7th Century will formally be acknowledged as a city's patron saint today.

St Benedict Biscop, also known as St Benet, is widely seen as a founding father of Sunderland.

He established the twin monastic sites of St Peter's at Monkwearmouth, on the north bank of the River Wear in what has become Sunderland, and St Paul's, in Jarrow, in neighbouring South Tyneside, in the 7th Century.

Both became acknowledged as internationally important centres of faith and learning, with Biscop acting as mentor for the early Christian scholar, the Venerable Bede.

Not only did Biscop establish the first stone-built church in pre-medieval Northumbria, he brought stonemasons and glaziers from France to help develop St Peter's as the birthplace of stained-glass making in Britain.

The neighbouring communities are campaigning for the inclusion of St Peter's and St Paul's to be granted World Heritage status, following inclusion in a list of prospective candidates for such titles drawn up by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Civic and religious leaders gather for a service at St Peter's Church today, fittingly St Benet's Day, during which he will be formally adopted as the city's patron saint. It will feature a blessing by the Bishop of Jarrow, the Right Reverend John Pritchard, of a copy of the acclaimed Anglo-Saxon bible, the Codex Amiatinus, one of three written by scribes at St Peter's and St Paul's in the 8th Century.

The original remains in Florence, Italy, but the version being used at today's ceremony is a limited-edition copy, brought to Sunderland for the first time. Other figures attending today's service include Canon Stephen Taylor, the Rector of Sunderland, and city council leader councillor Bob Symonds.