Date: 21st October 2009

The conversion of BritainFrom Augustine to King Edwin (cirque 596-633 AD)

595/597 AD

✤ Pope Gregory dispatches a Mission from Rome to English.

✤ Augustine leads the mission to Britain despite great fear and reservation from him and all those with him.

✤ They arrive Thanet Isle on the Kentish Coast.

✤ They are met by King Aethelberht.

597/598 AD

✤ Aethelberht allows the mission to do it’s work and doesn’t obstruct it.

✤ The King, Aethelberht converts to Christianity.

✤ He gives Cantebury as the Episcopal See of Augustine and a Church and Monastery are established.

600/601 AD

✤ Bishops that were already in the area maybe in Irish controlled areas are mentioned, indicating perhaps a limited christian prescence nearby.

✤ Pope Gregory encouraged by the success of the mission sends aid to Augustine.

✤ Melitus, Justus, Paulinus and Rufinus along with an extensive train came equipped with Books, letters and images and icons from Gregory.

600/601 AD

✤ Letters between Augustine and Gregory deal with some unique aspects of the mission in England that hasn’t been dealt with elsewhere. Such as Theft, consecration of Bishops etc.

✤ The Bishops already in Britain on Augustines arrival are called to meet him and they come. They refuse to recognize authority of Augustine or change the positioning of the date of Easter.

✤ Many of these Bishops seemed to have been killed in a war between their kingdoms (Mercia perhaps?) And Northumbrias Aethelfrith a Pagan, fulfilling an alleged prophecy from Augustine.

604 AD

✤ Melitus is consecrated Bishop of London

✤ Justus is made Bishop of Rochester.

✤ At this time then we can assume that Christianity was well established in the kingdoms of Kent and East Saxon. As well as neighboring Kingdoms as 12 Other Bishops are ordered to be consecrated in a letter from Gregory.

604 - 610 AD

✤ Augustine Dies between 604 -610 AD.

✤ Gregory Dies 605 AD. The Popes who succeed him, initially Boniface continue the work of the mission.

✤ Laurence Succeeds Augustine as Arch-Bishop

616 AD

✤ King Aethelberht dies.

✤ He is succeeded by his Pagan son Eadbald.

✤ Kent rescinds into Pagan practices for a time.

616 AD +

✤ In the nearby East Anglia the Christian under lord of Aethelberht, Saeberht dies.

✤ His three Pagan sons succeed him.

✤ In Essex and Wessex the mission faces a set back with the resurgence of Pagan worship with the prescense of pagan Kings.

✤ Bishops Melitus of London, and Justus of Rochester are expelled from there sees and go to Cantebury along with all their clergy. As the Pagan kings take control.

✤ Laurence orders them to return to where they are from, so they return to Gaul. He remains.

616 AD +

✤ Laurence Prays in Cantebury.

✤ St. Peter is alleged to appear to him and flogs him for his lapse of faith and desertion from his mission.

✤ Laurence goes next day to Eadbald and shows him the flogging scars. Eadbald amazed turns away from Pagan beliefs and unlawful wife.

✤ Kent restored to Christian Faith.

619 AD+

✤ Arch-Bishop Laurence dies and is succeeded first by Militus and then by Justus.

✤ Growing power and influence of Northumbria, diplomatic alliance between Kent and Northumbria.

✤ King Edwin Marries Aethelburh, Eadbalds sisters and daughter of Aethelberth.

625 AD

✤ Paulinus is Consecrated a Bishop and goes to Northumbria in support of Aethelburh.

✤ He begins preaching in Northumbria.

627 AD

✤ King Edwin is baptized along with much of his royal household.

✤ Paulinus begins widespread mission converting the believers and building churches. Bernia, Deria and Elmet (Yorkshire) all converted as well as Lincoln and York have episcopal sees in place.

✤ North of the Humber all converted

✤ Justus dies and Honorious made Arch-Bishop by Paulinus with Papal permission.

633 AD

✤ King Edwin is killed in Battle.

✤ His sons die, and the rebel instigators Penda and Caedwalla start a savage rampage across the kingdom sparing no one in there way.

✤ Paulinus Flees to Kent and Honorious makes him Bishop of Rochester

✤ This marks the collapse of the Paullinus Mission to Northumbria.