Honorius of Canterbury
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Honorius (died 30 September 653) was a member of the Gregorian mission to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism in 597 AD who later became Archbishop of Canterbury. During his archiepiscopate, he consecrated the first native English bishop of Rochester as well as helping the missionary efforts of Felix among the East Anglians. Honorius was the last to die among the Gregorian missionaries.
Early life
A Roman by birth, Honorius may have been one of those chosen by Pope Gregory the Great for the Gregorian mission to England, although it seems more likely that he was a member of the second party of missionaries, sent in 601.<ref name=Hindley43>Hindley Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons pp. 43–45</ref><ref name=ASE112>Stenton Anglo-Saxon England p. 112–113</ref> It is not known if his name was given to him at birth or if he chose it when he became archbishop.<ref name=Sharpe3>Sharpe "Naming of Bishop Ithamar" English Historical Review p. 3</ref>
Archbishop
In 627, Honorius was consecrated as archbishop by Paulinus of York at Lincoln.<ref name=Blair96>Blair World of Bede pp. 96–97</ref> Honorius wrote to Pope Honorius I asking the pope to raise the see of York to an archbishopric, so that when one archbishop in England died, the other would be able to consecrate the deceased bishop's successor. The pope agreed, and sent a pallium for Paulinus, but by this time, Paulinus had already been forced to flee from Northumbria.<ref name=DNB>Hunt "Honorius (St Honorius)" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography</ref> When Paulinus, after the death of King Edwin of Northumbria in October 633, fled Northumbria, he was received by Honorius and appointed to the bishopric of Rochester.<ref name=Blair96/> The papal letter is dated to June 634, and implies that news of Edwin's death had not reached the pope. This evidence may mean that the traditional date of Edwin's death may need to be moved to October 634.<ref name=Earliest56>Kirby Earliest English Kings p. 56</ref> The papal letter may also mean that the traditional date of consecration for Honorius may need re-dating, as the long gap between 627, when he is said to have been consecrated, and 634, when he finally received a pallium, is much longer than usually found. It may be that Honorius was consecrated closer to 634.<ref name=Earliest66/> The papal letter to Honorius is given in the Ecclesiastical History of the medieval writer Bede.<ref name=Comp57>Wright Companion to Bede pp. 57–58</ref>
Honorius consolidated the work of converting the English by sending Felix, a Burgundian, to Dunwich<ref name=Brooks65>Brooks Early History of the Church of Canterbury pp. 65–67</ref> after Felix came to the archbishop and made known his desire to go to East Anglia as a missionary.<ref name=Hindley43/> Honorius may have consecrated Felix as the first bishop of East Anglia<ref name=Walsh268>Walsh New Dictionary of Saints p. 268</ref> or Felix may have already been consecrated on the continent.<ref name=Brooks65/><ref name=Blair108>Blair World of Bede p. 107</ref> The dating of this episode is unclear, but it is probably close to 631.<ref name=Earliest66>Kirby Earliest English Kings p. 66</ref> It is possible that King Sigeberht of East Anglia, who converted to Christianity while he was in exile on the continent, had already met Felix and was behind Felix's journey to Honorius. As well as his help to Felix, Honorius consecrated the first Anglo-Saxon bishop, Ithamar of Rochester,<ref name=Brooks65/> and his successor was also a native of England.<ref name=Hindley43/>
Honorius had few conflicts with the Irish missionary efforts, and admired Aidan, one of the leading Irish clergy.<ref name=Mayr94>Mayr-Harting Coming of Christianity p. 94</ref>
Death and legacy
Honorius died on 30 September 653,<ref name=Handbook213>Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 213</ref> the last of the Gregorian missionaries.<ref name=Sharpe3/> He was buried at the Church of St Augustine in Canterbury.<ref name=DNB/> He was later revered as a saint, with his feast day being 30 September.<ref name=Walsh268/> His relics were translated to a new tomb in 1091, and around that same time a hagiography of his life was written by Goscelin.<ref name=Blair539>Blair "Handlist of Anglo-Saxon Saints" Local Saints and Local Churches p. 539</ref> In the 1120s his relics were still being venerated at St Augustine's.<ref name=Absent217>Hayward "Absent Father" Journal of Medieval History p. 217 footnote 72</ref>
See also
Citations
References
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