<p>St. Augustine of Canterbury was born in the early 6^th century, and was a Benedictine Monk who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597.&nbsp; He is considered the &ldquo;Apostle to the English&rdquo; and a founder of the English Church.&nbsp; Augustine was a Prior of a Monastery in Rome when Pope Gregory the Great chose him in 595 to lead a mission, known as the Gregorian mission to Britain.&nbsp; King Ethelberht converted to Christianity and allowed the missionaries to preach freely, giving them land to found a Monastery outside the city walls.&nbsp; St. Augustine was consecrated as a Bishop and converted many of the King&rsquo;s people, including thousands during a mass Baptism on Christmas Day in 597.&nbsp; Pope Gregory sent more missionaries in 601, along with encouraging letters and gifts for the Churches.&nbsp; Roman Bishops were established at London and Rochester in 604, and a school was founded to train Anglo-Saxon Priests and Missionaries.&nbsp; Augustine also arranged the consecration of his successor, Laurence of Canterbury.&nbsp; Archbishop Augustine died in 604 and was soon revered as a saint by the people of Canterbury. &nbsp;</p> <p>The Roman Legions withdrew from the province of Britannia in 410, and the people of the province were left to defend themselves against the attacks of the Saxons.&nbsp; Before the withdrawal, Britannia converted to Christianity and produced the ascetic Pelagius.&nbsp; In 595, Gregory chose Augustine, who was the Prior of the Abbey of St. Andrew&rsquo;s in Rome, to head a mission to Kent.&nbsp; The pope selected Monks to accompany Augustine and sought support from the Frankish royalty and clergy in a series of letters, which still survive in Rome Today.&nbsp; Besides hospitality, the Frankish Bishops and Kings provided interpreters and Frankish Priests to accompany the mission.&nbsp; By soliciting help from the Frankish Kings and Bishops, Gregory helped to assure a friendly reception for St. Augustine in Kent, as King Ethelberht was unlikely to mistreat a mission, which visibly had the support of his wife&rsquo;s relatives and people.&nbsp; The Franks appreciated the chance to participate in a mission that would extend their influence in Kent.&nbsp; St. Augustine was successful because of his knowledge of the Bible and his administrative abilities, from managing the Abbey of St. Andrews. &nbsp;</p> <p>In 604, St. Augustine founded two more Bishoprics in Britain.&nbsp; Two men who had come to Britain with him in 601 were consecrated, Mellitus as Bishop of London, and Justus as Bishop of Rochester.&nbsp; St. Augustine, with the help of the King, &ldquo;recovered&rdquo; an early Church built by Roman Christians in Canterbury.&nbsp; Archaeological evidence supports the Church being uncovered just south of the present Canterbury Cathedral.&nbsp; St. Augustine had failed to extend his authority to the Christians in Wales and Dumnonia to the west.&nbsp; The King&rsquo;s School in Canterbury claims that Augustine was its founder, which makes it the world&rsquo;s oldest existing school.&nbsp; Before his death, Augustine consecrated Laurence as his successor to the Archbishopric, to ensure an orderly transfer of office.&nbsp; It was in 604, St. Augustine died, and soon after he was venerated as a saint. &nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Practical Take Away</strong></span></p> <p>St. Augustine of Canterbury was born in the early 6^th century, and was a Benedictine Monk who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597.&nbsp; He is considered the &ldquo;Apostle to the English&rdquo; and a founder of the English Church.&nbsp; Augustine was a Prior of a Monastery in Rome when Pope Gregory the Great chose him in 595 to lead a mission, known as the Gregorian mission to Britain.&nbsp; King Ethelberht converted to Christianity and allowed the missionaries to preach freely, giving them land to found a Monastery outside the city walls.&nbsp; St. Augustine converted many of the King&rsquo;s people, including thousands during a mass Baptism on Christmas Day in 597.&nbsp; Pope Gregory sent more missionaries in 601, along with encouraging letters and gifts for the Churches.&nbsp; Roman Bishops were established at London and Rochester in 604, and a school was founded to train Anglo-Saxon Priests and Missionaries.&nbsp; Augustine also arranged the consecration of his successor, Laurence of Canterbury, to ensure a smooth transition. St. Augustine of Canterbury died in 604 and was soon revered as a saint by the people of Canterbury.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>