Clergy & Saints
Overview
Anglo-Saxon England, spanning from the 5th to the 11th century, witnessed the profound influence of Christian clergy and saints. These religious figures played a crucial role in the spiritual, cultural, and political life of the period.
The arrival of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England, significantly marked by the mission of St. Augustine of Canterbury in 597 CE, initiated a widespread Christianization process. The clergy, comprising monks, priests, and bishops, were instrumental in converting the pagan Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. Notable figures such as St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne spread the Christian faith throughout Northumbria and beyond, establishing monasteries and churches.
Monasteries became centers of learning and culture, preserving and producing manuscripts, including religious texts, historical records, and literary works. Figures like the Venerable Bede, a monk at the Monastery of Jarrow, were pivotal in documenting the history of England and the Church. Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People remains a critical source for understanding early English history.
The clergy often held significant political power, acting as advisors to kings and playing key roles in governance. For instance, Hilda of Whitby was deeply involved in political affairs, influencing royal decisions and advocating for the Celtic form of Christianity at the Synod of Whitby in 664 CE. The Church also provided social services, such as caring for the poor and sick, further embedding itself in the fabric of Anglo-Saxon society.
Biographies
6th Century
– Gildas (c.500-570)
– Augustine of Canterbury (c. 534-604)
7th Century
– Justus (d. 627)
– Hilda of Whitby (614-680)
– Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (634-687)
8th Century
– Bede (d. 735)
9th Century
– Asser, Bishop of Sherborne (d. c. 909)
– Nennius
Saints were venerated for their piety, miracles, and martyrdom. Their lives and deeds were recorded in hagiographies, inspiring the faithful and reinforcing Christian values. Saints such as St. Alban, considered the first British martyr, and St. Edmund, king and martyr, became symbols of faith and resilience. Their relics attracted pilgrims, contributing to the religious and economic vitality of their respective regions.
Further Research & Sources
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Translated and edited by Michael Swanton. New York, NY. Routledge Press. 1996.
Codex epistolaris carolinus, ed. W. Gundlach, MGH Epp. III, Epistolae merowingici et karolini aevi, I. Hanover, 1892, 629-630. https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=CJE-AQAAIAAJ&rdid=book-CJE-AQAAIAAJ&rdot=1
Davis, Raymond, trans and ed. The Lives of the Eighth Century Popes (Liber Pontificalis). Liverpool, UK: Liverpool University Press. 1992.
Deansley, Maragret. The Pre-Conquest Church in England. London, UK: Adam and Charles Black, 1963.
Goulder, Laurance. Church Life in Medieval England: The Parishes. London, UK. 1965.
Keynes, Simon and Michael Lapidge, eds. The Cambridge Companion to Anglo-Saxon England. Cambridge University Press, 1991.
Malmesbury, William. The Deeds of the Bishops of England (Gesta Pontificum Anglorum). Translated by David Preest. Rochester, NY. Boydell Press. 2002.
McKitterick, Rosamund. Charlemagne: The Formation of a European Identity. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2008.
Moorman, J. R. H. A History of the Church in England. London, UK. Adam and Charles Black. 1963.
Morris, Marc. The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England, 400-1066. New York, NY. Pegasus Books, Ltd. 2021.
Whitelock, Dorothy, ed. English Historical Documents. Volume 1: c.500-1042. Routledge, 1996.
Woodcock, Brian. Medieval Ecclesiastical Courts in the Diocese of Canterbury. London, UK. Oxford University Press. 1952.