James the Deacon
James the Deacon | |
|---|---|
| Died | after 671 |
| Venerated in | |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
| Feast | 17 August or 11 October |
James the Deacon[a](died after 671) was a Romandeaconwho accompaniedPaulinus of Yorkon his mission toNorthumbria.He was a member of theGregorian mission,which went to England toChristianisetheAnglo-Saxonsfrom their nativeAnglo-Saxon paganism.However, when he arrived in England is unknown. After Paulinus left Northumbria, James stayed near Lincoln and continued his missionary efforts, dying sometime after 671, according to the medieval chroniclerBede.
Life
[edit]James was presumably anItalian,like the other members of the Gregorian mission.[3]The dates of his birth and his arrival in Britain are unknown.[4]He went with Paulinus to Northumbria accompanyingÆthelburh,sister of KingEadbald of Kent,who went toNorthumbriato marry KingEdwin.Traditionally this event is dated to 625, but the historian D. P. Kirby argues that the mission to Northumbria probably happened before 619.[5]
Edwin died in battle atHatfieldfighting againstPenda of MerciaandCaedwallain 633.[6]Edwin had been the main supporter of Paulinus' mission, and with his death, a pagan backlash set in. Paulinus fled to Kent, along with Æthelburg and Edwin and Æthelburg's daughterEanflæd.James, however, remained behind in Northumbria and continued missionary efforts.[6]James' efforts were centred in Lincoln, at a church that Paulinus had built there, the remains of which may lie under the church of St. Paul-in-the-Bail.[7]This was in the dependentkingdom of Lindsey,where Paulinus had preached before Edwin's death,[8]and it was reconquered by one of Edwin's successors,Oswald of Northumbriain the 640s.[9]
Bedewrites that James lived in a village nearCatterick,which "bears his name to this day".[10]He reports that James undertook missionary work in the area and lived to a great age.[3]During the reign of KingOswiu of Northumbria,James attended the royal court, for he celebrated Easter with Oswiu's queen, Eanflæd, Edwin's daughter. James and Eanflæd celebrated Easter on the date used by the Roman church, which led to conflicts with Oswiu, who celebrated Easter on the date calculated by the Irish church. These dates did not always agree and were one of the reasons that Oswiu called theSynod of Whitbyin 664 to decide which system of Easter calculation his kingdom would use.[11]
According to Bede's account of events, James was present at the Synod of Whitby.[3][b]Bede states that after the synod, and the return of Roman customs, James, as a trained singing master in the Roman and Kentish style, taught many peopleplainsongorGregorian chantin the Roman manner.[3]
James' date of death is unknown, but Bede implies that he was still alive during Bede's lifetime, meaning he died after Bede's birth, around 671 or 672. This would mean he was at least 70 years old at his death.[4]It has been suggested that James was Bede's informant for the life of Edwin, the works of Paulinus, and perhaps the Synod of Whitby.[13]The historianFrank Stentoncalls James "the one heroic figure in the Roman mission".[14]This reflects the fact that many of the Gregorian missionaries had a habit of fleeing when things went wrong.[15]
After his death, James was venerated as a saint. His feast day is 17 August (CatholicGeneral Roman Calendar)[1]or 11 October (Church of England).[16]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^Latin:Iacomus Diaconus
- ^Eddius Stephanus'Life of Wilfreddoes not mention James in his account of the synod.[12]
Citations
[edit]- ^ab"St James the Deacon".Patron Saints Index. Archived fromthe originalon 9 February 2009.Retrieved11 March2009.
- ^"Parish Church of St James the Deacon".Parish Church of St James the Deacon.Retrieved11 March2009.
- ^abcdLapidge "James the Deacon"Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England
- ^abBlairWorld of Bedep. 98
- ^Mayr-HartingComing of Christianitypp. 66–67
- ^abMayr-HartingComing of Christianityp. 68
- ^Brooks "From British to English Christianity"Conversion and Colonizationp. 22
- ^KirbyEarliest English Kingsp. 65
- ^KirbyEarliest English Kingsp. 74
- ^BedeHistory of the English Churchp. 139
- ^KirbyEarliest English Kingsp. 87
- ^Eddius StephanusLife of Wilfridpp. 116–118
- ^HighamKingdom of Northumbriap. 107
- ^StentonAnglo-Saxon Englandp. 116
- ^Mayr-HartingComing of Christianityp. 75
- ^"St James the Deacon: His Life & Legacy".St. James the Deacon Parish Church.Archivedfrom the original on 9 October 2019.Retrieved9 October2019.
References
[edit]- Bede(1988).A History of the English Church and People.Translated byLeo Sherley-Price.Penguin Classics.ISBN0-14-044042-9.
- Blair, Peter Hunter(1990).The World of Bede(Reprint of 1970 ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN0-521-39819-3.
- Brooks, Nicholas(2006). "From British to English Christianity: Deconstructing Bede's Interpretation of the Conversion". In Howe, Nicholas; Karkov, Catherine (eds.).Conversion and Colonization in Anglo-Saxon England.Tempe, AZ: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. pp. 1–30.ISBN0-86698-363-5.
- Eddius Stephanus(1998). "Life of Wilfrid". In Webb, J. F. (trans.) (ed.).The Age of Bede: Bede – Life of Cuthbert, Eddius Stephanus – Life of Wilfrid, Bede – Lives of the Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow, The Anonymous History of Abbot Ceolfrith with the Voyage of St Brendan(Revised ed.). London: Penguin Books.ISBN978-0-14-044727-9.
- Higham, N. J. (1993).The Kingdom of Northumbria: AD 350–1100.Gloucester, UK: A. Sutton.ISBN0-86299-730-5.
- Kirby, D. P. (2000).The Earliest English Kings.New York: Routledge.ISBN0-415-24211-8.
- Lapidge, Michael(2001). "James the Deacon". InLapidge, Michael;Blair, John;Keynes, Simon;Scragg, Donald (eds.).The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Anglo-Saxon England.Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. p. 258.ISBN978-0-631-22492-1.
- Mayr-Harting, Henry(1991).The Coming of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England.University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press.ISBN0-271-00769-9.
- Stenton, F. M.(1971).Anglo-Saxon England(Third ed.). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-280139-5.
