St Augustine
Feast Day: May 27th
Patronage: England
St Augustine of Canterbury was the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597. He is considered the “Apostle to the English” and a founder of the English Church.
St Augustine was the prior of a monastery in Rome when Pope Gregory the Great chose him in 595 to lead a mission, usually known as the Gregorian mission, to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity.
He and his team responded in fear when they heard the horrid stories of their future hosts. By the time they had reached France the stories became so frightening that the monks turned back to Rome. Gregory had heard encouraging news that England was far more ready for Christianity than the stories would indicate and urger them forward.
Augustine was consecrated bishop of the English and more missionaries arrived from Rome to help with the new task. He died in 604.
Originally posted 2014-05-27 04:22:12.