The Conversion of England By Katherine, Kelly, and Makenzie

 It is not exactly known how the conversion happened.  English Bishops were already present at the Council of Arles in France in 314.  The spread suffered tremendous setbacks as invading Angles, Jutes, and Saxons pushed Christian communities to far Western England. The Conversion Begins

 Often overshadowed by St. Augustine of Hippo because they share the same name.  He is a giant in the Church’s history of evangelization.  He brought the Catholic faith to the pagan and violent Anglo-Saxons.  The date of his birth and early life are unknown.  He was a Benedictine monk.  He was asked by Pope St. Gregory to bring the Gospel message to England. St. Augustine of Canterbury

 He was a strong supporter for the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons especially in England.  He selected St. Augustine as his personal missionary to England when he became pope. Pope St. Gregory

 By the time St. Augustine made it to England, Christianity had already spread to limited areas.  Irish monks had already converted British Celts.  However, invading Saxons, Angles, and Jutes nearly annihilated the Celts in Britain and the Christian faith.  By the year 655, the Catholic Faith was firmly established in England by the missionary work of the Irish.  This was the year that the first native Englishman became Archbishop of Canterbury, St. Deusdedit. The Mission Continues

 South of the Thames river, Christianity was more of a Roman tradition due to the mission of St. Augustine.  The Roman and Celtic traditions clashed especially over when to celebrate Easter.  The Synod of Whitby in 664, which was held in England, sought to reconcile the two traditions.  The Bishop of York led the party in favor of Roman tradition.  The English accepted Roman tradition.  Over time, the Church in England became especially united to the papacy and were identified most closely with the Church of Rome. The English Tradition

 He was the most important Anglo-Saxon scholar of his time.  Much of his scholarly work became the standard subject matter in the Medieval curriculum.  He represents the finest example of English monasteries in the 7 th and 8 th centuries.  This is remarkable due to the fact that in 590 England was a Pagan and unconverted land. St. Bede

St. Augustine of Canterbury Pope St. Gregory the Great St. Bede