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- Saint Birinus (3)
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Birinus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 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 |
 Saints Portal |
|
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Senior posting | |
| See | Bishop of Dorchester |
| Title | |
| Period in office | 634–649 |
| Predecessor | new foundation |
| Successor | Agilbertus |
| Personal | |
| Date of birth | c600 |
| Place of birth | |
| Date of death | December 3, 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, and Pope Honorius I created the commission to convert the West Saxons. 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,[3] and he gave Birinus Dorchester for his episcopal see. Birinus's original commission would have entailed preaching to all parts of the West Saxon kingdom, but he remained there in Wessex. However, in Wessex, Birinus was very active in establishing churches. After Cynegils' death, the new king, Cenwalh, invited Birinus to establish a church at Westminster. 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.
His feast day is December 3 in the Roman Catholic Church,[4] but some churches celebrate his feast on December 5. In the Church of England his feast day falls on 4 September and has the status of a Commemoration.
- ^ Powicke Handbook of British Chronology p. 219
- ^ Walsh A New Dictionary of Saints p. 102
- ^ Patron Saints Index: Birinus accessed on September 1, 2007
- ^ Catholic Online Saints and Angels St. Birinus accessed on September 1, 2007
- Catholic Online Saints and Angels St. Birinus accessed on September 1, 2007
- Patron Saints Index: Birinus accessed on September 1, 2007
- Powicke, F. Maurice and E. B. Fryde Handbook of British Chronology 2nd. ed. London:Royal Historical Society 1961
- Walsh, Michael A New Dictionary of Saints: East and West London: Burns & Oats 2007 ISBN 0-8601-2438-X
| Religious titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by new foundation |
Bishop of Dorchester 634–649 |
Succeeded by Agilbertus |