SAINT

See also:

• AUGUSTINE, SAINT (354-430)
• SAINT AUGUSTINE (d. c.613)

AUGUSTINE (d. c.613)  , first archbishop of Canterbury, occupied a position of authority in the monastery of St Andrew at Rome, when Gregory I. summoned him to lead a mission to England in A.D . 596 . The apprehensions of Augustine's followers caused him to return to Rome, but the pope furnished him with letters of commendation and encouraged him to proceed . He landed in Thanet in A.D . 597, and was favourably received by IEthelberht, king of Kent, who granted a dwelling-place for the monks in Canterbury, and allowed them liberty to preach . Augustine first made use of the ancient church of St Martin at Canterbury, which before his arrival had been the oratory of the Queen Berhta and her confessor Liudhard . IEthelberht uponhis conversion employed all his influence in support of the mission . In 6oi Augustine received the pallium from Gregory and was given authority over the Celtic churches in Britain, as well as all future bishops consecrated in English territory, including York . Authority over the see of York was not, however, to descend to Augustine's successors . In 603 he consecrated Christ Church, Canterbury, and built the monastery of SS . Peter and Paul, afterwards known as St Augustine's . At the conference of Augustine's Oak he endeavoured in vain to bring over the Celtic church to the observance of the Roman Easter .

He afterwards consecrated

Mellitus and Justus to the sees of London and Rochester respectively . The date of his death is not recorded by Bede, but MS . F of the Saxon Chronicle puts it in 614, and the Annales Monasterienses in 612 . See Bede, Eccl . Hist . (ed. by Plummer), i . 23–ii . 3 .