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Saint Birinus

The commissioning of Birinus (centre) by Asterius (left), a photograph from David Nash Ford's Early British Kingdoms website, taken at Dorchester Abbey
Bishop
Born c. 600, France probably
Died 3 December 649, Dorchester, Oxfordshire
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church; Anglican Communion
Major shrine Dorchester Abbey, now destroyed. Small parts survive. Modern replica now in place. (Or Winchester Cathedral, now destroyed).
Feast 3 December, 4 September
Attributes bishop, sometimes baptising a king
Patronage Berkshire; Dorchester
Controversy body claimed by both Dorchester Abbey and Winchester Cathedral
St. Birinus
Denomination Catholic
Senior posting
See Bishop of Dorchester
Period in office 634–649
Predecessor new foundation
Successor Agilbertus
Personal
Date of birth c600
Date of death 3 December 649

Saint Birinus (c. 600–649), venerated as a saint, was the first Bishop of Dorchester,[1] and the 'Apostle to the West Saxons'.

After St. Augustine of Canterbury performed initial conversions in England, Birinus, a Frank, came to the kingdoms of Wessex in 634.[2] Birinus had been made bishop by Asterius in Genoa,[citation needed] and Pope Honorius I created the commission to convert the West Saxons.[3] In 635, he persuaded the West Saxon king Cynegils to allow him to preach. Cynegils was trying to create an alliance with Oswald of Northumbria, with whom he intended to fight the Mercians. At the final talks between kings, the sticking point was that Oswald, being a Christian, would not ally himself with a heathen. Cynegils then converted and was baptized,[4] and he gave Birinus Dorchester-on-Thames for his episcopal see.[3] Birinus's original commission entailed preaching to parts of Britain where no missionary efforts had reached, and may have included instructions to reach the Mercians, but in the end Birinus stayed in the West Saxon kingdom, or Wessex as it became known.[5] However, in Wessex, Birinus was very active in establishing churches.[citation needed] After Cynegils' death, the new king, Cenwalh, established a church at Winchester,[6] perhaps under Birinus' direction. He also supposedly laid the foundations for Saint Mary's in Reading, Saint Helen's in Abingdon and other churches across old Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.[citation needed] Bede says that Birinus baptised Cenwalh, who was Cynegil's son.[7]

His feast day is 3 December in the Roman Catholic Church,[8] but some churches celebrate his feast on 5 December. In the Church of England his feast day falls on 4 September and has the status of a Commemoration.[citation needed] His relics were eventually translated to Winchester after his death.[9]

Notes

  1. ^ Powicke Handbook of British Chronology p. 219
  2. ^ Walsh A New Dictionary of Saints p. 102
  3. ^ a b Kirby Earliest English Kings p. 38
  4. ^ Patron Saints Index: Birinus accessed on 1 September 2007
  5. ^ Kirby Earliest English Kings p. 51
  6. ^ Kirby Earliest English Kings p. 45
  7. ^ Kirby Earliest English Kings p. 43
  8. ^ Catholic Online Saints and Angels St. Birinus accessed on 1 September 2007
  9. ^ Kirby Earliest English Kings p. 49

References

External links

Religious titles
Preceded by
new foundation		 Bishop of Dorchester
634–649		 Succeeded by
Agilbertus
Retrieved from 'http://en.wikipedia.org/Birinus'

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