Birinus | |
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Bishop of Dorchester | |
![]() Stained glass window of Birinus atDorchester Abbey | |
Appointed | before 634 |
Term ended | 3 December 649 |
Predecessor | diocese established |
Successor | Agilbertus |
Orders | |
Consecration | by Asterius of Milan |
Personal details | |
Born | c. 600 |
Died | 3 December 649 or 650 Dorchester,Wessex (England) |
Sainthood | |
Feast day | 3 December (Catholic) 4 September (Anglican) |
Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Anglican Communion |
Attributes | Bishop, sometimes baptising a king |
Patronage | Berkshire; Dorchester |
Shrines | Dorchester Abbey,now destroyed. Small parts survive. Modern replica now in place. (OrWinchester Cathedral, now destroyed.) |
Birinus (alsoBerin,Birin;c. 600 – 3 December 649 or 650) was the firstBishop of Dorchester[1] and was known as the "Apostle to theWest Saxons" for hisconversion of the Kingdom of Wessex to Christianity. He is venerated as a saint by theRoman Catholic Church, theEastern Orthodox Church, andAnglican churches.
AfterAugustine of Canterbury performed theinitial conversions in England, Birinus, aFrank, came to the kingdom ofWessex in 634,[2] landing at the port ofHamwic, now in theSt Mary's area ofSouthampton. During Birinus's brief time at Hamwic,St Mary's Church was founded.[3]
ABenedictine monk, Birinus had been made bishop by Asterius inGenoa,[4] andPope Honorius I created the commission to convert the West Saxons.[5] In 635, he persuaded the West Saxon kingCynegils to allow him to preach. Cynegils was trying to create an alliance withOswald of Northumbria, with whom he intended to fight theMercians. At the final talks between kings, the sticking point was that Oswald, a Christian, would not ally himself with apagan. Cynegils then converted and wasbaptised.[6][7] He gave BirinusDorchester-on-Thames for his episcopal see.[5] Birinus's original commission entailed preaching to parts of Britain where no missionary efforts had reached and may have included instructions to reach the Mercians. But he ultimately remained in Wessex.[8]
Birinus is said to have been active in establishing churches in Wessex:[9] foundations ascribed to him includeSt Mary's inReading,[10]St Peter and St Paul, Checkendon, near Reading,[11] and the first church atIpsden, built about two miles from the present church.[12] Birinus baptised Cynegils's sonCwichelm (died 636) in 636[13] and grandson Cuthred (died 661) in 639, to whom he stood as godfather.[14]
Birinus died in Dorchester on 3 December in 649 or 650.[15]
Birinus'feast day is 3 December in theRoman Catholic Church andEastern Orthodox Church,[16][17] but some churches celebrate his feast on 5 December.[15] His feast was added to theRoman Martyrology in the late 16th century.[18] In theChurch of England, hisfeast day falls on 4 September and has the status of acommemoration.[19][20] His relics were eventually translated to Winchester after his death.[21]
A small number ofChurch of England parish churches are dedicated to Birinus, including those atBerinsfield inOxfordshire andRedlynch inWiltshire. The Catholic church in Dorchester, one of the first built after therestoration of the hierarchy[22] byPope Pius IX, is also dedicated to Birinus.
Christian titles | ||
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New title | Bishop of Dorchester 634–649 | Succeeded by |