Gospel in Art: Feast of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop

Baptism of Æthelberht, King of Kent, by St Augustine of Canterbury in 597, based on painting by William Dyce RA, R Anderson, 1870 © Alamy

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 27 May 2025
Luke 10:1-9

At that time: The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no money bag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, "Peace be to this house!" And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the labourer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, "The kingdom of God has come near to you." '

Reflection on the engraving

Today we celebrate Saint Augustine of Canterbury, often called the "Apostle to the English." He was a Christian monk from Rome who played a vital role in bringing Christianity to early medieval England. Born in the early 6th century, Augustine was the prior of a monastery in Rome when Pope Gregory the Great chose him in 595 to lead a mission to convert the Anglo-Saxons. His mission focused on the Kingdom of Kent, ruled by King Æthelberht, whose marriage to the Christian Frankish princess Bertha offered hope for a receptive audience. Despite early doubts and hesitation, Augustine and his companions pressed on and arrived on the Isle of Thanet in 597, making their way to Canterbury, Æthelberht's main settlement.

King Æthelberht welcomed the missionaries and eventually converted to Christianity, allowing Augustine and his followers to preach freely and granting them land to establish a monastery just outside Canterbury's walls. That same year, Augustine was made a bishop, and on Christmas Day the king was baptised, followed by thousands being baptised soon after. The mission gained momentum, and in 601, Pope Gregory sent reinforcements, along with letters of encouragement and gifts. Augustine's efforts led to the founding of bishoprics in London and Rochester in 604, and a school was established to train local clergy. Although his attempts to bring the existing British bishops under Roman authority were initially unsuccessful, Augustine laid the foundations for the Christian Church in England. He likely died on 26 May 604 and was soon honoured as a saint, remembered for his courage, leadership, and the enduring legacy of his mission.

Our Victorian engraving depicts the moment of the King's baptism on Christmas Day 597. Æthelberht was baptised, a powerful public act that signalled not only his personal conversion but also opened the way for the Christianisation of his kingdom.This event laid the foundations for the spread of Christianity throughout the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and firmly established Canterbury as a centre of the early English Church. Our engraving is based on a painting by William Dyce R.A. (1806-1864) at the House of Lords. We see the king in a great act of humility, stripped of his clothes kneeling before Saint Augustine and the baptismal font. The bystanders in the background are not looking at the event but rather discussing whether they too should get baptised.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-10-1-9-2025-2/ (with audio)