Feast of St. Augustine of Canterbury

Saint Augustine of Canterbury
converting King Æthelberht of Kent

May 28th is the Feast of St. Augustine of Canterbury (died 604 AD), Bishop and Confessor. Commissioned by Pope Gregory the Great, the Benedictine monk led a mission from Rome to England, becoming the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597.

Augustine successfully converted King Æthelberht of Kent and laid the foundations for the Christian Church in England, establishing monasteries and churches. Patron saint of Brewers, printers, and theologians, he is revered as the “Apostle of the English.”

In celebration, we’re posting a prayer to St. Augustine of Canterbury. Sanctus Augustinus Cantuariensis, ora pro nobis.

Prayer to St. Augustine of Canterbury

Saint Augustine of Canterbury, you were open to the will of God in your life, despite the radical and unexpected nature of your calling. You responded with courage, faith, and hope, and God used you in powerful ways. Please pray for me that I will also respond to the will of God with courage, so that the faith God has given to me will be shared with others in accord with His holy will. Saint Augustine of Canterbury, pray for me.