St. Ethelbert of Kent was the son of Eormenric and the grandson of Hengist the Saxon conqueror of Britain. He was raised as a pagan and later became the King of Kent in 560 AD. However, he was defeated by Ceawlin of Wessex at the battle of Wimbledon in 568 AD ending his trials to rule the entire Britan territories.
Ethelbert’s wife, Bertha, was a daughter of the Merovingian Frankish king in what is now France. She was a Christian and it was a condition of the marriage that she would be free to practise her religion. Ethelbert evidently considered that an acceptable price for a close connection with the most powerful ruler in western Europe. The two had three children, including Saint Ethelburgh of Kent.
The details and dates are often uncertain, but Bertha brought a Bishop with her from France as her Chaplain and presumably she had her own Christian retinue as well. For worship, she restored the ancient Church of St Martin of Tours, which dated back to Roman times.
St Augustine instructing Ethelbert
Ethelbert had consequently been in close touch with Christianity, and he soon accepted it for himself and was Baptised by St Augustine.
St Augustine baptises Ethelbert
His example led to the Baptism of 10,000 of his countrymen within a few months and he supported Augustine in his missionary work with land, finances and influence.
Ethelbert now presided over the creation of a law code which gave the Roman Church a secure place in the Kingdom. St Augustine was made Archbishop of the English on the Pope’s orders and he appointed Bishops of London and Rochester before his death in 604. London was in the Kingdom of Essex, which was ruled by Ethelbert’s nephew Sebert, who had also became a Christian convert.
Bertha died in or soon after 601, it seems. Ethelbert apparently took a second wife. He was succeeded by his son Eadbald, who had reverted to paganism, but he afterwards reverted to Christianity.
In time, other pagan English Kings were impressed by the Roman Church’s positive support for strong regimes. These Kings accepted the Roman Church and carried their people with them. Over centuries the process would lead to the creation of a single unified English nation.
St Ethelbert at Canterbury Cathedral
When he died in 616, St Ethelbert was buried in the side chapel of Saint Martin in the Abbey Church of Saints Peter and Paul. His relics were later translated to Canterbury.
In the 2004 edition of Roman Martyrology, he is listed under his date of death, 24 February, with the citation: ‘King of Kent, converted by St Augustine, Bishop, the first leader of the English people to do so.’
-AnaStpaul
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2. Saint Sergius of Caesarea
3. Saint Adela of Blois
4. Saint Modestus of Trier
5. Saint Evetius of Nicomedia