Saint augustine canterbury biography of rory

Augustine was sent by Pope Gregory to Kent in 597 to convert Britain to Christianity. His first success was converting king Aethelbert (partly due to his wife Bertha already being Christian). In 598 he founded the first church in Canterbury and was the first Archbishop. He created 12 dioceses. In 603 he had instructions from the Pope to unify the two styles of Christianity – but in Rome’s favour. He totally failed in this respect.

Only much later at the synod of Whitby in 664 was this achieved to any degree.

Before his death, Augustine consecrated Laurence of Canterbury as his successor to the archbishopric, probably to ensure an orderly transfer of office.

At the time of Augustine’s death, believed to be 26th May 604,the mission barely extended beyond Kent, his undertaking introduced a more active missionary style into England. Despite the earlier presence of Christians in Ireland and Wales, no efforts had been made to try to convert Saint augustine canterbury biography of rory davis!