The first Archbishop of Canterbury was Roman "from Rome"

It was Roman “from Rome” the first archbishop of Canterburyone of the oldest cities and spiritual heart of Great Britain. Feast of the saint on May 27th.
In history, the cathedral has been even more than this. For example, first architectural model of English Gothic, scene of famigerati crimini (in 1170 Archbishop Thomas Becket) also told in the theater (“Murder in the Cathedral”, by Thomas Stearns Eliot).

Canterbury protagonist in literature

And again, protagonist in literature (“I Canterbury Tales”, collection of short stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer) and declared a world heritage site by UNESCO since 1988. Recently the cathedral was once again at the center of another memorable event. Last March 25th saw the installation of the first female archbishop of the Anglican Church, the former midwife Sarah Mullay, 63, who was received in the Vatican by Pope Leo XIV the month after.

Canterbury, England’s first cathedral

Canterbury, in short, the beautiful of the Kingdom it is an imposing symbol of many things. And the cornerstone of “England’s first cathedral”, as it is named on the website of this sort of British Holy See, was placed by a Roman in the year 597 AD
His name was Augustine, at that time a name made famous by the bishop of Hippo of the same name, famous among men and then among saints: canonized in 1298, then proclaimed Doctor of the Church.

Agostino born in the shadow of the Colosseum

According to various historical sources, Augustine was born in the shadow of Colosseum on November 13, 534 and had grown up with his faith as his only ambition. He desired a life of devotion, calm and silence, based on the simple motto “ora et labora”, pray and work.
In fact, he wanted, very strongly, to wear the long Benedictine habit. And from the career he had it seems he was also appreciated. He became prior of the church of Sant’Andrea al Celio, built on the residence that had belonged to Pope Gregory the Great, today highlighted in tourist guides of the Eternal City as a jewel of the Baroque age.

Father Gregory

Also the holy father gregory he was a Benedictine, practically the official biographer of his Order and the first to sign himself “servant of GodAnd as such he called Augustine to entrust him with an important service in the name of Heaven: to go to England – Britain, as the Romans had baptized it – and evangelize it, “save” it from the paganism of the Saxons, Angles and Jutes, godless Germanic peoples who had begun to pitch tents across the Channel.

According to tradition, it seems that at the moment Agostino wasn’t very enthusiastic about the task assigned to him. In fact, it scared him a little, feeling almost beyond his capabilities. He tried to tell the Pope, but without success. Gregory reassured the prior, entrusted him with the company of about forty monks who would set sail with him and blessed the mission.

The departure and the adventure

Departure in 596. THE’operation did not seem improvised. Vatican sources report the context of that adventure. Agostino & company they would have landed on the stretch of coast facing France. That is, in the kingdom of Kent, with Canterbury a city to conquer in its soul located halfway between London to the north and the sea to the south.
From the 5th century that was the land of the Jutes, the same ethnic group as the king of Kent, Ethelbert. He was a pagan, evidently tolerant. His wife, Berta, was the daughter of the ruler of Paris and convinced Christian. Therefore, the premises did not appear dark. On the contrary, it was reasonable to think that the Benedictine would be well received upon his arrival.

The Good News

And so it was. Not only did the king give Augustine the land on which to start the construction site to build the abbey (the first nucleus of the cathedral), but the monk managed to do his job well. He evangelized the pagans announcing the Good Newstelling them that if they followed Christ they could hope for forgiveness and eternal life. And thousands – the texts report – embraced the Catholic faith. Ethelbert did so too, “the first English sovereign – the historical portraits report – to convert to Christianity”.

“Bishop of Canterbury in England”

Il Roman Martyrology (promulgated by John Paul II and adopted in 2006) pays homage to Augustine as follows: “Bishop of Canterbury in England, who was sent by Pope Saint Gregory the Great together with other monks to preach the word of God to the Angles. He established numerous episcopal sees in this land”.
De Agostini’s dictionary “Saints and Patrons” adds more: “He established the two important episcopal sees of London and Rochester – it is written – and was consecrated archbishop of the English nation, establishing his seat in Canterbury. Upon his death – he concludes – he was buried in the church of Saints Peter and Paul in Canterbury (now dedicated to Saint Augustine)”.