Laurence of Canterbury

Pre-Congregation
Pre-Congregation
Shrines	St Augustine's Abbey

Laurence

consecrated archbishop by his predecessor, Augustine of Canterbury, during Augustine's lifetime, to ensure continuity in the office. While archbishop, he attempted unsuccessfully to resolve differences with the native British bishops by corresponding with them about points of dispute. Laurence faced a crisis following the death of King Æthelberht of Kent, when the king's successor abandoned Christianity; he eventually reconverted. Laurence was revered

as a saint after his death in 619.

Early life

Laurence was part of the Gregorian mission originally dispatched from Rome in 595 to convert the Anglo-Saxons from their native paganism to Christianity; he landed at

Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum.^[3] Laurence is probably the Laurence referred to in the letter from Gregory to Bertha, queen of Kent. In that letter, Gregory praises Bertha for her part in the conversion of her husband, details of which Gregory says he received from Laurence the priest.^[10] It is known that Laurence returned to England with Mellitus and others of the second group of missionaries in the summer of 601, but there is no record of Peter being with them.^[11]

Archbishop

Laurence succeeded Augustine to the

Bishop of Rome during Peter's lifetime, which the theologian J. Robert Wright believes may be Bede's way of criticising the practices of the church in his day.^[15]

In 610 Laurence received letters from Pope Boniface IV, addressed to him as archbishop and Augustine's successor.^[16] The correspondence was in response to Laurence having sent Mellitus to Rome earlier in 610, to solicit advice from the papacy on matters concerning the English Church. While in Rome Mellitus attended a synod and brought the synodical decrees back with him to Laurence.^[17]

In 613 Laurence consecrated the monastery church built by Augustine in Canterbury, and dedicated it to saints

Dagan, a native bishop, would not eat with Laurence or share a roof with the archbishop, due to the differences between the two Churches.^[19]

Pagan reaction

St. Augustine Gospels

(c. 6th century), which were probably used by Laurence.

Æthelberht died in 616, during Laurence's tenure; his son

Quo vadis story with some information given by Jerome in a letter.^[24]

Modern historians have seen political overtones in the pagan reaction. The historian D. P. Kirby sees Eadbald's actions as a repudiation of his father's pro-Frankish policies.^[20] Alcuin, a later medieval writer, wrote that Laurence was "censured by apostolic authority".^[25] This may have been a letter from Pope Adeodatus I, commanding Laurence to stay in Kent. Kirby goes on to argue that it was Justus, not Laurence, who converted Eadbald, and this while Justus was archbishop, sometime around 624.^[20] Not all historians agree with this argument, however. Nicholas Brooks states that the king was converted during Laurence's archiepiscopate, within a year of him succeeding his father.^[4] The historian Barbara Yorke argues that there were two co-rulers of Kent after Æthelberht's death, Eadbald and a Æthelwald, and that Eadbald was converted by Laurence while Æthelwald was converted by Justus after his return to Rochester.^[26] Another factor in the pagan reaction was Laurence's objection to Eadbald's marriage to his father's widow, something that Christians considered to be unlawful.^[27]

All efforts to extend the church beyond Kent encountered difficulties due to the attitude of King Rædwald of East Anglia, who had become the leading king in the south after Æthelberht's death.^[28] Rædwald was converted before the death of Æthelberht, perhaps at the urging of Æthelberht, but his kingdom was not, and Rædwald seems to have converted only to the extent of placing a Christian altar in his pagan temple.^[29] It proved impossible for Mellitus to return to London as bishop, although Justus did resume his duties at Rochester.^[20]

Death and legacy

Laurence died on 2 February 619, and was buried in the abbey of St Peter and Paul in Canterbury, later renamed St Augustine's; his

translated, to the new church of St Augustine's in 1091.^[4] His shrine was in the axial chapel of the abbey church, flanking the shrine of Augustine, his predecessor.^[30] Laurence came to be regarded as a saint, and was given the feast day of 3 February.^[31] The ninth century Stowe Missal commemorates his feast day, along with Mellitus and Justus.^[32] A Vita (or Life) was written about the time of his translation, by Goscelin, but it is mainly based on information in Bede.^[4] His tomb was opened in 1915. Besides his feast day, the date of his translation, 13 September, was also celebrated after his death.^[24] Laurence's tenure as archbishop is mainly remembered for his failure to secure a settlement with the Celtic church and for his reconversion of Eadbald following Æthelbert's death.^[14] He was succeeded as archbishop by Mellitus, the Bishop of London.^[12]

Notes

^ Sometimes Lawrence^[2] or Laurentius^[3]

Citations

^ Hutchinson-Hall Orthodox Saints p. 95
^ Blair World of Bede p. 85
^ ^a ^b ^c Lapidge "Laurentius" Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Anglo-Saxon England
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Brooks "Laurence" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
^ Stenton Anglo-Saxon England p. 106
^ Hindley Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons p. 36
^ ^a ^b Brooks Early History of the Church of Canterbury pp. 9–13
^ Blair World of Bede p. 59
^ Blair World of Bede p. 63
^ Blair World of Bede p. 60
^ Blair World of Bede p. 66
^ ^a ^b Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 213
^ ^a ^b ^c Hindley Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons p. 43
^ ^a ^b Stenton Anglo-Saxon England pp. 112–113
^ Wright Companion to Bede p. 47
^ Blair World of Bede p. 80
^ ^a ^b Blair World of Bede pp. 86–87
^ Bede History of the English Church and People pp. 105–107
^ Décarreaux Monks and Civilization p. 261
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Kirby Earliest English Kings pp. 30–33
^ Brooks Early History of the Church of Canterbury pp. 64–66
^ Ward Venerable Bede pp. 120–121
^ Wright Companion to Bede pp. 48–50
^ ^a ^b Farmer Oxford Dictionary of Saints pp. 313–314
^ Quoted in Kirby Earliest English Kings p. 31
^ Yorke Kings and Kingdoms p. 32
^ Yorke Conversion p. 123
^ Stenton Anglo-Saxon England p. 127
^ Stenton Anglo-Saxon England p. 112
^ Nilson Cathedral Shrines p. 67
^ Walsh A New Dictionary of Saints p. 357
^ Farmer Oxford Dictionary of Saints p. 366

References

ISBN 0-14-044042-9
.

ISBN 0-521-39819-3
.

ISBN 0-7185-0041-5
.

doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/16166. Retrieved 7 November 2007. (subscription or UK public library membership
required)

Décarreaux, Jean (1964). Monks and Civilization: From the Barbarian Invasions to the Reign of Charlemagne. Translated by Haldane, Charlotte. London: George Allen.
OCLC 776345
.

Delaney, John P. (1980). Dictionary of Saints (Second ed.). Garden City, NY: Doubleday.
ISBN 0-385-13594-7
.

Farmer, David Hugh (2004). Oxford Dictionary of Saints (Fifth ed.). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
ISBN 978-0-19-860949-0
.

Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology (Third revised ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
ISBN 0-521-56350-X
.

Hindley, Geoffrey (2006). A Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons: The Beginnings of the English Nation. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers.
ISBN 978-0-7867-1738-5
.

Hutchison-Hall, John (Ellsworth) (2013). Orthodox Saints of the British Isles. Vol. I - January-March. United States of America: St. Eadfrith Press.
ISBN 978-0-615-92580-6
.

Kirby, D. P. (2000). The Earliest English Kings. New York: Routledge.
ISBN 0-415-24211-8
.

ISBN 978-0-631-22492-1
.

Nilson, Ben (1998). Cathedral Shrines of Medieval England. Woodbridge, UK: Boydell Press.
ISBN 0-85115-540-5
.

ISBN 978-0-19-280139-5
.

Walsh, Michael J. (2007). A New Dictionary of Saints: East and West. London: Burns & Oats.
ISBN 978-0-86012-438-2
.

Ward, Benedicta (1990). The Venerable Bede. Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing.
ISBN 0-8192-1494-9
.

ISBN 978-0-8028-6309-6
.

ISBN 0-582-77292-3
.

ISBN 0-415-16639-X
.

External links

Laurence 2 at Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England – listing of most contemporary and close to contemporary mentions of Laurence in the primary sources. Includes some spurious charter listings.
Laurence 1 – who travelled back to Rome, and is probably the same person

Christian titles
Preceded by Augustine of Canterbury	Archbishop of Canterbury 604–619	Succeeded by Mellitus

[4] Sometimes Lawrence^[2] or Laurentius^[3]

[1] Hutchinson-Hall Orthodox Saints p. 95

[World85-2] Blair World of Bede p. 85

[ASE-3] Lapidge "Laurentius" Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Anglo-Saxon England

[DNB-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Brooks "Laurence" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

[ASE106-6] Stenton Anglo-Saxon England p. 106

[Hindley36-7] Hindley Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons p. 36

[Brooks9-8] Brooks Early History of the Church of Canterbury pp. 9–13

[World59-9] Blair World of Bede p. 59

[Blair63-10] Blair World of Bede p. 63

[Blair60-11] Blair World of Bede p. 60

[Blair66-12] Blair World of Bede p. 66

[Handbook213-13] Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 213

[Hindley43-14] Hindley Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons p. 43

[ASE112-15] Stenton Anglo-Saxon England pp. 112–113

[Wright47-16] Wright Companion to Bede p. 47

[Blair80-17] Blair World of Bede p. 80

[Blair86-18] Blair World of Bede pp. 86–87

[Bede105-19] Bede History of the English Church and People pp. 105–107

[MonksCiv261-20] Décarreaux Monks and Civilization p. 261

[Kirby30-21] Kirby Earliest English Kings pp. 30–33

[Brooks64-22] Brooks Early History of the Church of Canterbury pp. 64–66

[Ward120-23] Ward Venerable Bede pp. 120–121

[Wright49-24] Wright Companion to Bede pp. 48–50

[Farmer313-25] Farmer Oxford Dictionary of Saints pp. 313–314

[QKirby31-26] Quoted in Kirby Earliest English Kings p. 31

[Yorke32-27] Yorke Kings and Kingdoms p. 32

[Yorke123-28] Yorke Conversion p. 123

[ASE127-29] Stenton Anglo-Saxon England p. 127

[ASE112a-30] Stenton Anglo-Saxon England p. 112

[Shrines67-31] Nilson Cathedral Shrines p. 67

[Walsh357-32] Walsh A New Dictionary of Saints p. 357

[ODS366-33] Farmer Oxford Dictionary of Saints p. 366

[3]

[10]

[11]

[15]

[16]

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[19]

[24]

[20]

[25]

[4]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[14]

[12]

[2]

v t e Archbishops of Canterbury
List of archbishops of Canterbury
Pre-Conquest	Augustine Laurence Mellitus Justus Honorius Deusdedit Wighard Theodore of Tarsus Berhtwald Tatwine Nothhelm Cuthbert Bregowine Jænberht Æthelhard Wulfred Feologild Ceolnoth Æthelred Plegmund Athelm Wulfhelm Oda Ælfsige Byrhthelm Dunstan Æthelgar Sigeric Ælfric of Abingdon Ælfheah Lyfing Æthelnoth Eadsige Robert of Jumièges Stigand
Conquest to Reformation	Lanfranc Anselm Ralph d'Escures William de Corbeil Theobald of Bec Thomas Becket Roger de Bailleul Richard of Dover Baldwin of Forde Reginald Fitz Jocelin Hubert Walter Reginald John de Gray Stephen Langton Walter d'Eynsham Richard le Grant Ralph Neville John of Sittingbourne John Blund Edmund of Abingdon Boniface William Chillenden Robert Kilwardby Robert Burnell John Peckham Robert Winchelsey Thomas Cobham Walter Reynolds Simon Mepeham John de Stratford John de Ufford Thomas Bradwardine Simon Islip William Edington Simon Langham William Whittlesey Simon Sudbury William Courtenay Thomas Arundel Roger Walden Thomas Arundel Henry Chichele John Stafford John Kemp Thomas Bourchier John Morton Thomas Langton Henry Deane William Warham Thomas Cranmer Reginald Pole
Post-Reformation	Matthew Parker Edmund Grindal John Whitgift Richard Bancroft George Abbot William Laud Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) William Juxon Gilbert Sheldon William Sancroft John Tillotson Thomas Tenison William Wake John Potter Thomas Herring Matthew Hutton Thomas Secker Frederick Cornwallis John Moore Charles Manners-Sutton William Howley John Bird Sumner Charles Longley Archibald Campbell Tait Edward White Benson Frederick Temple Randall Davidson Cosmo Lang William Temple Geoffrey Fisher Michael Ramsey Donald Coggan Robert Runcie George Carey Rowan Williams Justin Welby
Italics indicate a person who was elected but not confirmed.

v t e Saints of Anglo-Saxon England
British / Welsh	Aldate of Oxford Barloc of Norbury Brannoc of Braunton Branwalator of Milton Credan of Bodmin Congar of Congresbury Dachuna of Bodmin Decuman of Watchet Elfin of Warrington Ivo of Ramsey Judoc of Winchester Melorius of Amesbury Nectan of Hartland Neot of Cornwall Patrick of Glastonbury Rumon of Tavistock Samson of Dol Sativola of Exeter
East Anglian	Æthelberht of East Anglia Æthelburh of Faremoutiers Æthelflæd of Ramsey Æthelthryth of Ely Æthelwine of Lindsey Athwulf of Thorney Blida of Martham Botwulf of Thorney Cissa of Crowland Cuthbald of Peterborough Eadmund of East Anglia Eadnoth of Ramsey Guthlac of Crowland Herefrith of Thorney Hiurmine of Blythburgh Huna of Thorney Pega of Peakirk Seaxburh of Ely Sigeberht of East Anglia Tancred of Thorney Torthred of Thorney Tova of Thorney Walstan of Bawburgh Wendreda Wihtburh of Ely Wulfric of Holme
East Saxon	Æthelburh of Barking Hildelith of Barking Osgyth Sæbbi of London
Frisian, Frankish and Old Saxon	Balthild of Romsey Bertha of Kent Felix of Dommoc Helier of Jersey Grimbald of St Bertin Monegunda of Watton Odwulf of Evesham Wulfram of Grantham
Irish and Scottish	Aidan of Lindisfarne Boisil of Melrose Echa of Crayke Ultan the Scribe Indract of Glastonbury Maildub of Malmesbury
Kentish	Æbbe of Thanet (Domne Eafe) Æthelberht of Kent Æthelburh of Kent Æthelred of Kent Albinus of Canterbury Berhtwald of Canterbury Deusdedit of Canterbury Edburga of Minster-in-Thanet Eanswith of Folkestone Eormengyth of Thanet Mildrith of Thanet Nothhelm of Canterbury Sigeburh of Thanet
Mercian	Ælfnoth of Stowe Ælfthryth of Crowland Æthelberht of Bedford Æthelmod of Leominster Æthelred of Mercia Æthelwynn of Sodbury Aldwyn of Coln Beonna of Breedon Beorhthelm of Stafford Coenwulf of Mercia Cotta of Breedon Credan of Evesham Cyneburh of Castor Cyneburh of Gloucester Cynehelm of Winchcombe Cyneswith of Peterborough Eadburh of Bicester Eadburh of Pershore Eadburh of Southwell Eadgyth of Aylesbury Eadweard of Maugersbury Ealdgyth of Stortford Earconwald of London Egwin of Evesham Freomund of Mercia Frithuric of Breedon Frithuswith of Oxford Frithuwold of Chertsey Hæmma of Leominster Merefin Mildburh of Wenlock Mildgyth Mildrith of Thanet Milred of Worcester Oda of Canterbury Oswald of Worcester Osburh of Coventry Regenhere of Northampton Rumbold of Buckingham Tibba of Ryhall Werburgh of Chester Wærstan Wigstan of Repton Wulfhild of Barking
Northumbrian	Acca of Hexham Æbbe "the Elder" of Coldingham Æbbe "the Younger" of Coldingham Ælfflæd of Whitby Ælfwald of Northumbria Æthelburh of Hackness Æthelgyth of Coldingham Æthelsige of Ripon Æthelwold of Farne Æthelwold of Lindisfarne Alchhild of Middleham Alchmund of Hexham Alkmund of Derby Balthere of Tyningham Beda of Jarrow Bega of Copeland Benedict Biscop Bercthun of Beverley Billfrith of Lindisfarne Bosa of York Botwine of Ripon Ceadda of Lichfield Cedd of Lichfield Ceolfrith of Monkwearmouth Ceolwulf of Northumbria Cuthbert of Durham Dryhthelm of Melrose Eadberht of Lindisfarne Eadfrith of Leominster Eadfrith of Lindisfarne Eadwine of Northumbria Ealdberht of Ripon Eanmund Eardwulf of Northumbria Eata of Hexham Ecgberht of Ripon Eoda Eosterwine of Monkwearmouth Hilda of Whitby Hyglac Iwig of Wilton John of Beverley Osana of Howden Osthryth of Bardney Oswald of Northumbria Oswine of Northumbria Sicgred of Ripon Sigfrith of Monkwearmouth Tatberht of Ripon Wihtberht of Ripon Wilfrith of Hexham Wilfrith II Wilgils of Ripon
Roman	Augustine of Canterbury Firmin of North Crawley Birinus of Dorchester Blaise Florentius of Peterborough Hadrian of Canterbury Honorius of Canterbury James the Deacon Justus of Canterbury Laurence of Canterbury Mellitus of Canterbury Paulinus of York Peter of Canterbury Theodore of Canterbury
South Saxon	Cuthflæd of Lyminster Cuthmann of Steyning Lewina of Bishopstone
West Saxon	Æbbe of Abingdon Ælfgar of Selwood Ælfgifu of Exeter Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury Ælfheah of Canterbury Ælfheah of Winchester Æthelflæd of Romsey Æthelgar of Canterbury Æthelnoth of Canterbury Æthelwine of Athelney Æthelwold of Winchester Aldhelm of Sherborne Benignus of Glastonbury Beocca of Chertsey Beorhthelm of Shaftesbury Beornstan of Winchester Beornwald of Bampton Centwine of Wessex Cuthburh of Wimborn Cwenburh of Wimborne Dunstan of Canterbury Eadburh of Winchester Eadgar of England Eadgyth of Polesworth Eadgyth of Wilton Eadweard the Confessor Eadweard the Martyr Eadwold of Cerne Earmund of Stoke Fleming Edor of Chertsey Evorhilda Frithestan of Winchester Hædde of Winchester Humbert of Stokenham Hwita of Whitchurch Canonicorum Mærwynn of Romsey Margaret of Dunfermline Swithhun of Winchester Wulfsige of Sherborne Wulfthryth of Wilton
Unclear origin	Arilda of Oldbury Juthwara of Sherbourne Rumbold of Mechlin Urith of Chittlehampton

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