Augustine of Canterbury, Saint

views updated

Augustine of Canterbury, Saint (d.604) First Archbishop of Canterbury. He was sent from Rome in 596 by Pope Gregory I, at the head of a 40-strong mission. Arriving in Kent in 597, Augustine converted King Ethelbert and introduced Roman ecclesiastical practices into England. This brought him into conflict with the Celtic monks of Britain and Ireland whose traditions had developed in isolation from the continent. The Synod of Whitby (663) settled disputes in favour of Rome. His feast day is May 28 (May 26 in England and Wales).

More From encyclopedia.com

About this article

Augustine of Canterbury, Saint

Updated About encyclopedia.com content Print Article

Related Content