Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop

The Mission from Rome

In the year 596, Pope Gregory the Great conceived one of the most consequential missions in the history of Christianity. Moved by a deep desire to bring the Gospel to the Anglo-Saxon peoples of Britain, he chose a Benedictine monk named Augustine, then prior of the monastery of Saint Andrew on the Caelian Hill in Rome, to lead a band of about forty monks across Europe to the distant shores of England. It was a daunting commission. Britain had once been part of the Roman Empire and had known Christianity, but the Anglo-Saxon invasions had swept away much of the old faith, leaving a largely pagan land.

Augustine and his companions set out with trepidation. Along the way, terrifying reports of the fierce Anglo-Saxons reached their ears, and the monks lost heart. They sent Augustine back to Rome to beg Gregory to release them from the mission. But Gregory, with characteristic firmness and pastoral wisdom, refused. He sent Augustine back with letters of encouragement and practical instructions, commanding them to press on in the name of Christ.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." — Matthew 28:19

Arrival in Kent

In the spring of 597, Augustine and his monks landed on the Isle of Thanet in the Kingdom of Kent. Providence had prepared the way: King Ethelbert of Kent, though himself a pagan, had married Bertha, a Frankish Christian princess, who had been permitted to practice her faith and had brought a chaplain with her from Gaul. Ethelbert agreed to meet the missionaries, but insisted on meeting outdoors, fearing that if they were sorcerers, their magic would be more powerful within walls.

Augustine and his monks approached the king in solemn procession, carrying a silver cross and a painted image of Christ, chanting litanies. Ethelbert listened to their message and, though he did not immediately convert, gave them permission to preach and provided them with a dwelling in his capital of Canterbury. He told them frankly that their words were fair but new, and he could not abandon the old ways overnight, yet he would not hinder them.

The Conversion of England Begins

The monks settled in Canterbury and began their work, living a life of prayer, fasting, and preaching that slowly won the hearts of the people. Within a year, King Ethelbert himself was baptized, and thousands of his subjects followed. The Christmas of 597 saw a mass baptism of some ten thousand Anglo-Saxons, a moment that marked the turning of a nation toward Christ.

Augustine was consecrated as the first Archbishop of Canterbury, establishing the see that remains to this day the spiritual center of the Church of England. Gregory the Great sent more missionaries, along with books, relics, vestments, and detailed instructions for organizing the new Church. Augustine established a cathedral and a monastery in Canterbury and began the work of building an ecclesiastical structure for the whole of England.

Key accomplishments of his mission included:

Establishing the See of Canterbury as the primatial see of England
Baptizing King Ethelbert and thousands of Anglo-Saxons
Founding the monastery of Saints Peter and Paul (later Saint Augustine's Abbey)
Ordaining bishops for London and Rochester
Beginning the process of organizing English Christianity with guidance from Pope Gregory

Challenges and Humility

Augustine's mission was not without difficulties. His attempts to unite the existing Celtic Christians of Britain with the Roman mission met with resistance. The Celtic Church, which had preserved the faith in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland during the Anglo-Saxon period, followed different practices regarding the dating of Easter and the style of monastic tonsure. Augustine convened a meeting with Celtic bishops at a place later called Augustine's Oak, but the conference ended without agreement.

The failure troubled Augustine, and some accounts suggest he handled the negotiations with less sensitivity than he might have. Gregory the Great, in his letters, gently counseled Augustine to exercise humility and patience, reminding him that miracles and outward successes were no cause for pride.

"The LORD says, 'Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom. Don’t let the mighty man glory in his might. Don’t let the rich man glory in his riches." — Jeremiah 9:23

This human struggle adds depth to Augustine's story. He was not a perfect man but a faithful one, doing his best in extraordinarily challenging circumstances.

Death and Legacy

Augustine died on May 26, 604, having served as Archbishop of Canterbury for less than a decade. Yet in that short time, he had laid the foundation for the Christianization of the entire English-speaking world. His tomb in Canterbury became a place of veneration, and he was soon honored as the "Apostle to the English."

The Church he planted would grow to produce some of the greatest saints, scholars, and missionaries in Christian history. From Canterbury, the faith would spread to the rest of England, and in time, English-speaking missionaries would carry the Gospel to every continent on earth. The ripple effects of Augustine's obedience to Gregory's command are incalculable.

Spiritual Significance

Saint Augustine of Canterbury teaches us timeless lessons:

Obedience conquers fear: He overcame his terror of the unknown because the Pope asked him to go
Providence prepares the way: God had already placed Queen Bertha in Kent before Augustine arrived
Patience in evangelization: The conversion of a nation is the work of generations, not a single moment
Humility in success and failure: Gregory reminded him that both victories and setbacks belong to God
The power of community: He did not go alone but with a band of brothers united in prayer and purpose

His feast day on May 27 invites us to remember that every great work of God begins with a single act of courageous obedience.