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Augustine's Mission to Canterbury
In 597 CE, Augustine, head of a Roman mission, arrived in Kent, established a mission base at Canterbury under King Æthelberht's protection, and perf…
Timeline
- 597Isle of Thanet · KentAugustine led his mission across the sea to Kent and, through the influence of Queen Bertha (a Frankish Christian), gained an audience with the king. The king allowed him to reside and preach at Canterbury but required outdoor meetings to guard against sorcery.
- 597–598Canterbury · KentAugustine repaired or rebuilt St Martin's Church in Canterbury and built Christ Church (predecessor of today's Canterbury Cathedral). The king and many of his subjects were baptized, and Pope Gregory subsequently appointed Augustine Archbishop of Canterbury, beginning the establishment of the English Church.
Sources
- Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Book I, ch. 25–33 — Bede https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/bede-book1.asp
- Letters of Pope Gregory I to Augustine — Gregory I https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/gregory-letters.asp