Paulinus of York

The Holy Paulinus († October 10 644 ) was the first (medieval ) Bishop of York.

Although there have been in Roman antiquity, a Christian community in York ( Eboracum ), which had been an imperial residence in the Roman Empire, but was Christianity there was conquered by the Anglo-Saxons under. The city was then the Kingdom of Northumbria.

Paulinus was a monk at St. Andrew's Monastery in Rome and was chosen by Pope Gregory I, that he should accompany mellitus and other missionaries to England, which should support the first Archbishop of Canterbury, Augustine, the process of Christianity in the British Isles to spread and build up the Church organization. Up to 625 Paulinus kept on in Kent, until he was ordained this year by Archbishop Justus of Canterbury Bishop of Northumbria, as there was hope that the King Edwin was won for Christianity. Paulinus accompanied Aethelberg, the ( Christian ) sister of King Eadbald from Kent to Northumbria, where she was married to Edwin. Edwin and with him a great part of his followers was baptized in 627, so that the conditions for the establishment of a Northumbrian diocese was created. Alone at a meeting in Yeavering to Paulinus and his people have been engaged in for 36 days to baptize Northumbrian Gentiles. The conversion Edwin is described by the Venerable Bede in the Historia Ecclesiastica and presented as a model for King conversions. Not only the king accepts Christianity, but also his entourage with which the transfer must be arranged so that no political damage.

Paulinus efforts suffered a setback, however, 633, as Edwin at the Battle of Hatfield Chase fell against Penda of Mercia; there was a pagan reaction and Paulinus, the Queen and their children had to flee the country to Kent, where he spent the rest of his life as Bishop of Rochester. While still a deacon Paulinus Reserve left in Northumbria, who laboriously attempted to maintain the Catholic tradition, but was the renewed triumph of Christianity in Northumbria from Iona, ie in the form of iro -Scottish Church, with the Catholics because of questions of liturgy in bitter dispute were.

Paulinus died 644; of his death, October 10, is also his memorial day.