ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER
Saints celebrated on the 10th of October
SAINT PAULINUS OF YORK
Saint Paulinus is celebrated in the Roman Martyrology, and in those of our country, as the apostle of the largest, and at that time the most powerful of the seven kingdoms of the English Saxons. Saint Austin [Augustine of Canterbury] being in want of labourers, Saint Gregory the Great, in 601, sent him Mellitus, Justus, Paulinus, and several others, together with sacred vessels, altar-cloths, and other ornaments for churches, vestments for priests, relics of the apostles and martyrs, and many books; decreeing by letters, that when the northern countries should receive the faith, York (Eboracum) should be appointed a metropolitical see, in like manner with Canterbury.
Saint Paulinus, upon his arrival, employed his labours in Kent with great zeal and piety. It was a continual affliction to his heart to live in the midst of a people who were strangers to the true worship of God, and all his tears, prayers, and endeavours to make him known and served by them were at first unsuccessful; for God was pleased to put his constancy and fidelity, for some time, to the trial.
His prayers were at length heard. King Edwin was brought over to the faith in a wonderful manner, but he desired the concurrence of the chief men of his army and kingdom. A great assembly was called, such perhaps as the Saxon Chronicles often speak of under the name of Wittena Gemot, or Council of the Wites, which many moderns call the original of our parliament.
The king was baptised by Saint Paulinus at York on Easter Sunday in 627, together with his son Osfrid, whom he had by a former wife, and his niece Hilda. The ceremony was performed in a church of wood, raised in haste. King Edwin afterwards began one of stone, which was finished by Saint Oswald.
King Edwin also built a church at Campodunum, where he had his Yorkshire country palace.
Our zealous bishop crossed the Humber, and preached the faith to the inhabitants of Lindsey, in the kingdom of Mercia, and baptized Blecca, the Saxon prince or governor of Lincoln. At Lincoln Saint Paulinus built a church of stone, in which, after the death of Saint Justus, he consecrated Saint Honorius archbishop of Canterbury. Pope Honorius sent a pallium to Saint Paulinus as the northern metropolitan in Britain; and in his letter of congratulation with King Edwin upon his conversion, he decreed as follows: "As to what you desire concerning the ordination of your bishops, we willingly agree to it; and we send palliums to your metropolitans Honorius and Paulinus, that whenever it shall please God to call either of them, the other may ordain a successor for him by virtue of this letter."
Saint Paulinus, being assisted by his deacon James, baptised a great multitude in the Trent. The East-Angles also received the faith by the zeal of Saint Paulinus and Saint Edwin. This good king being slain in battle in 633, with his son Osfrid, Saint Paulinus conducted the queen Ethelburga into Kent by sea. There she founded a nunnery at Liming, in which she took the veil.
James, whom our saint left behind, took care of the distressed church of York, and baptised many. Rochester see being then vacant, at the entreaty of King Eadbald, the archbishop Honorius appointed Paulinus bishop of Rochester, he not being permitted to quit his royal charge, or return to York. He died happily on October 10, 644, having been bishop nineteen years, says Bede [the Venerable].
This Wharton would have corrected into eleven years; but did not take notice that Saint Paulinus sat first eight years at York, from 625 to 633, and afterwards eleven at Rochester, from 633 to 644, in all nineteen years and three months.
Source: Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints
PRAYER:
O God, who gladden us each year by the feast of the blessed Paulinus, Archbishop, graciously grant that, as we rejoice in his merits, we may be inspired by his example. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment