Conversion of the Celts

Saint Patrick (d.493) Patricius was a Roman Briton and son of a Roman city official. Kidnapped by Irish pirates when 16 years old. Sold as a slave in northwest Ireland, working as a shepherd. After six years was able to escape. Had a vision to return and convert the Irish. 430s: Patrick (now a priest) returns to Ireland by order of Pope St. Celestine I to help Palladius, the Bishop of Ireland. On his way, he learns that Palladius dies. The Pope makes Patrick the new Bishop of Ireland.

St. Patrick vs. the Druids St. Patrick successfully converted northern Ireland despite opposition from the pagan druids. Thousands were baptized Hundreds of monasteries founded St. Patrick governed Ireland from his headquarters in Ulster. Within a generation of St. Patrick’s work, the entire island converted to the Catholic Faith. 461: He wrote the Confessions (autobiography). His feastday is March 17th. Druids cutting the sacred mistletoe

Monk working in a Scriptorium Irish Monks Irish monasticism followed the Eastern/Greek tradition rather than the Benedictine rule. Irish monasteries in 6th century were the most important centers of learning and culture. The Catholic Church in Ireland was more monastic than in the rest of the Europe. All of the priests were monks. Irish influence will decline by the 9th century on account of Viking attacks. Monk working in a Scriptorium

The Conversion of England

St. Augustine of Canterbury Benedictine monk at St. Andrew’s monastery in Rome (founded by Pope St. Gregory the Great). Evangelized the pagan and violent Anglo-Saxons. The Celts in England had already been converted by the Irish monks. The invading Angles, Saxons, and Jutes nearly annihilated the Celts in Britain. St. Augustine arrived in England with forty other monks.

Ethelbert, King of Kent (from All Souls College Chapel) Conversions Ethelbert, king of Kent, married the Catholic Bertha, a Frankish princess (great granddaughter of Clovis) Ethelbert received St. Augustine and his monks warmly, but did not convert. Gave them the freedom to preach the Faith openly, and a house in Canterbury, his capital. Christmas Day 597: more than ten thousand Saxons were baptized in Canterbury. Christianity spreads rapidly, as well as hundreds of monasteries. St. Augustine ordered all pagan temples to be converted into Christian churches. Ethelbert, King of Kent (from All Souls College Chapel)

Primate of England 601: St. Gregory made Augustine the Primatus of England (the first Bishop; kinda of like the Pope of England). The Pope sent him the pallium, a symbol of his office as chief shepherd in England. St. Augustine consecrated other bishops and sent them all over England, such as Rochester and London. England would remain fervently Catholic until the Protestant Revolution under “Queen” Elizabeth I. St. Augustine of Canterbury’s feastday is May 27th.

Celtic vs. Roman Traditions Irish monks were very busy evangelizing in northern England. The first native Englishman Archbishop of Canterbury was St. Deusdedit in 655. Southern England was dominated by the more Roman tradition of St. Augustine. The two traditions clashed, especially over the question of when to celebrate Easter. 664: The Synod of Whitby: St. Wilfrid argued for the Roman tradition, which won approval. England adopted the Roman and Benedictine traditions; the Celts withdrew to the Island of Iona. Canterbury Cathedral