Saint Ethelbert

Ethelbert was king of Kent, in England, and reigned from 580 or 590 until his death in 616. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle calls him the first *Bretwalda*, that is, the first ruler to hold a position of supremacy over the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. His political success came through a marriage: he married Bertha, daughter of Charibert I, king of the Franks. An alliance with the greatest European power of the time. But Bertha brought something else with her too — she was a Christian, and she brought her chaplain along. It was very likely her influence that carried to Rome, to Pope Gregory the Great, the invitation to send missionaries. They arrived in 597, led by Augustine, the man who would become Augustine of Canterbury. And here is the loveliest scene in the whole story. Ethelbert agreed to meet them, but he insisted on doing it **outdoors, under an oak tree**: because according to his beliefs, if he stayed outside, any magic the Christians might have couldn’t take hold of him. A king who takes the matter seriously, doesn’t trust them one bit, and listens anyway. He converted, though probably not right away — a letter from the pope to Bertha suggests that his baptism didn’t come before 601. In the meantime churches were founded and thousands of people converted. After his death he was canonized. If your name is Ethelbert, today is your name day, and there are very few of you. A king who weighs things up before changing his life, and takes the precaution of standing under a tree. Honesty sometimes begins with openly declared mistrust.