St. Bede's College is a Roman Catholic day and boarding school in Christchurch, New Zealand for boys aged 13 (Year 9) to 18 (Year 13). St. Bede's is the oldest Roman Catholic Boys' College in New Zealand's South Island. It is also the only Catholic day and boarding college for boys in New Zealand's South Island. Students at St Bede's are colloquially known as Bedeans. St Bede's College was founded in 1911 by the Marists, a religious congregation founded in Lyon, France in 1816. The current Rector of the college (as of 2009), Mr Justin Boyle has been Rector since 2002. He was previously the first lay Principal of St. Kevin's College, Oamaru and left at the end of 2001 to become the first lay Rector of St Bede's. The College bears the name of The Venerable Bede (AD 673-735) an English Benedictine Monk, Scholar, and Saint. Widely regarded as the Father of English History, Bede is most famous for his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, recognized as the first ecclesiastical history of Britain. During his time, Bede was regarded as the finest scholar in Europe. His shrine is at Jarrow, England.