THE name of a North-East saint has been re-instated to the title of one of the region's iconic religious buildings.

Following a 464-year absence, St Cuthbert's name has returned to the full title of Durham Cathedral.

The cathedral was built in the late 11th and early 12th centuries to house the shrine of the great Northern saint of the early Christian era.

It was dedicated by the cathedral and the Benedictine monastery of the era "to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Cuthbert".

But it lost the reference to Cuthbert when Henry VIII oversaw the dissolution of the monasteries during the Reformation of the 16th Century.

Cuthbert's shrine was stripped of all but his remains as part of the removal of monastic wealth.

The new constitution of the cathedral, in 1541, led to it being renamed The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary his Mother.

But following moves by the Dean of Durham, the Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove, the Cuthbert connection is now restored in the cathedral title. On checking ecclesiastical legalities a revision was made to the cathedral's statutes in July.

It is now known as The Cathedral Church of Christ, the Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham.

The most immediate and obvious sign of the change appears on notice boards greeting visitors to the cathedral, by the Great North Door, bearing the distinctive Sanctuary Knocker.

They were unveiled by the Dean yesterday, and the re-dedication process will be completed during the Sung Eucharist service, tomorrow, the 901st anniversary of Cuthbert's relics being translated to the shrine in the cathedral.

The Dean will lead a procession to the shrine before reading a proclamation officially announcing the change.

He said it was fitting that Cuthbert's name was back in its rightful place.

"It seems strange that we make so much of Cuthbert here in Durham and in the North-East in general, and yet there is no reference to the great saint in the official title," he said.

"For more than 900 years the cathedral has been privileged and proud to be the final resting place of one of England's best-loved saints.

"Restoring Cuthbert to the name and title is to honour all that he means, not only in the North-East, but to people across the English-speaking world."

* Sung Eucharist takes place at 11.15am tomorrow.