ST ADRIAN OF CANTERBURY - 9 JANUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY

Saints celebrated on the 9th of January

WELCOME!

SAINT ADRIAN OF CANTERBURY, ABBOT

An African by birth, Saint Adrian of Canterbury died in 710. He became Abbot of Nerida, a Benedictine monastery near Naples, when he was very young. 

ADRIAN CONSIDERED HIMSELF UNWORTHY OF SO GREAT A DIGNITY

Pope Vitalian intended to appoint him Archbishop of Canterbury to succeed St Deusdedit, who had died in 664, but Adrian considered himself unworthy of so great a dignity, and begged the Pope to appoint Theodore, a Greek monk, in his place. The Pope yielded, on condition that Adrian should accompany Theodore to England and be his adviser in the administration of the Diocese of Canterbury. 

THEY LEFT ROME IN A.D. 668

They left Rome in 668, but Adrian was detained in France by Ebroin, the Mayor of the Palace who suspected that he had a secret mission from the Eastern Emperor, Constans II, to the English kings. 

After two years Ebroin found that his suspicion had been groundless and allowed Adrian to proceed to England.

HE ALLOWED ADRIAN TO PROCEED

Immediately upon his arrival in England, Archbishop Theodore appointed him Abbot of St Peter in Canterbury, a monastery which had been founded by St Augustine, the apostle of England, and became afterwards known as St Austin’s. 

Adrian accompanied Theodore on his apostolic visitations of England and by his prudent advice and co-operation assisted the Archbishop in the great work of unifying the customs and practices of the Anglo-Saxon Church with those of the Church of Rome. 

HE WAS VERY EDUCATED

Adrian was well versed in all the branches of ecclesiastical and profane learning. 

Under his direction the School of Canterbury became the centre of English learning. He established numerous other schools in various parts of England. In these schools of Adrian were educated many of the saints, scholars, and missionaries, who during the next century rekindled the waning light of faith and learning in France and Germany. 

HIS SCHOOLS REKINDLED THE FAITH

After spending thirty-nine years in England Adrian died in the year 710 and was buried at Canterbury. His feast is celebrated on January 9, the day of his death.

(From Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913)