Todays story was first recorded for prosperity by the Venerable Bede in his great work, Ecclesiastical History Of The English People, and can be found in Book 2 Chapter 1.
Rome 597c.
The
market in Rome was bustling as it always was. Traders came from near and afar
to sell their goods. If you wanted a chicken or a length of silk, then this was
the place where you could purchase it. How about a new horse or perhaps some
sheep? Do you have the coins to purchase some exotic spices? And if all your
purchases become too cumbersome to carry, then you could always buy a slave to
carry your goods home.
Amongst
the slaves were two children. These children caught the eye of Brother Gregory. These boys were different to the other
slaves. They were so very white of skin, and their hair was very fair.
"Where
are they from?" he asked the slave dealer.
"They
are from Angli," the slave dealer replied. "They are hard working and
will serve you well."
"I
have no need for slaves," Brother Gregory answered. "These children
are beautiful, look at their angelic faces."
The
slave dealer laughed at Brother Gregory's words. "Believe me they are no
angels, and they are no Christians. They are heathens."
"Their
King, what is his name?" Brother Gregory asked.
The
slave dealer scratched his chin as he thought. "King Ella, I believe.”
"King
Ella," Brother Gregory repeated and then he laughed. "’Alleluia, the praise of God the Creator must be sung in those
parts..." With that, he walked
away and immediately sought an audience with the Pope.
Brother
Gregory explained about the children he had seen in the marketplace, and he
asked the Pope if he could go to this pagan island that the slave dealer had
told him about. It was his Christian duty to introduce these pagans to God.
The
Pope refused. Brother Gregory was too important to leave Rome. Brother
Gregory sighed his discontent, but he did not cross the Pope.
Many
years later, the Pope died and much to his surprise, Brother Gregory became the
new Bishop of Rome. But despite all those years, he had not forgotten those
angelic children that he had seen in the marketplace.
 |
| Pope Gregory ~ Wikipedia |
He
summoned Brother Augustine, and he commanded him to take forty monks and
travel to the land of the pagans and spread the Good News of Christ.
But
during the long and arduous journey to the land of the pagans, the monks lost
faith in their mission, for they had heard terrible things about this country. They
petitioned Pope Gregory asking if they could return to Rome. Their answer was an unequivocal "No."
The
Christian monk's soldiered on. They had only a small silver cross to protect
them. They landed at Ramsgate and sent word to King Ethelbert of Kent.
King
Ethelbert was intrigued so agreed to meet them, but there were conditions. King
Ethelbert feared these monks would use magic to seduce him to their way of thinking, so he
demanded they were to meet out of doors.
But
Brother Augustine needed no magic, for he had God. The people were soon
flocking to hear him preach. With the help of his fellow monks, the population
converted to Christianity. Pope Gregory, it seemed, had been right all along.
Refrences:
’Alleluia, the praise of God the Creator must be sung in those parts..." ~ Bedes, Ecclesiastical History Of The English People
All images, unless otherwise stated, can be found on Pixabay
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See you on your next coffee break!
Take Care,
Mary Anne xxx