St. Augustine of Canterbury was a missionary who re-evangelized England in the late sixth century through his administrative skills and miracle-working faith.

When Romans withdrew from England in 410, the English were left vulnerable to attacks from the Germanic Saxon tribes. The faith had come to England with the Romans, and it went underground when they left.

In 596, Pope St. Gregory the Great decided it was time to re-evangelize England, having received news that the Church would be welcomed among the kingdoms there. He sent 30 missionaries from the monastery to which he belonged, including the leader of the community, Augustine.

The group arrived in the north of France and were vehemently warned against crossing the channel to England because of the danger of the voyage and the savagery of the people there. Discouraged, Augustine and the group returned to Rome, but Pope Gregory sent them back.

They landed in Thanet and were received by the local king, who would be baptized and later crowned a saint himself—St. Ethelbert. He was open to their mission, gave them the use of a local, unused church, and gave them permission to teach the faith.

Their work helped the faith take root in the region, the king himself was baptized, and Augustine was raised to the position of archbishop. Ethelbert gave Augustine land in Canterbury for a church, where he built Christ Church and an abbey that now bears his name. The Church spread through England, and new dioceses were established in London and Rochester.

Augustine spent his last years consolidating the faithful communities that had been underground, and administering the growing Church. Under Gregory’s guidance, he did not destroy pagan temples, but consecrated them for Christian use; and retained local customs and festivals, using them as occasions to celebrate the Christian faith instead.

His detailed correspondence with Pope Gregory described miracles worked through his intercession—Gregory warned Augustine of pride, and told him to stay focused on the inward realities that the outward signs pointed to.

St. Augustine of Canterbury, you re-established the faith in England—pray for us!

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This image of St. Augustine of Canterbury above appears with permission from Catholic.org