Conversion of the Tribes

1. Chapter 6 Conversion of the Tribes

2. Introduction • The Church set about the task of converting the Germanic invaders • period of evangelization stretched from 4th century (Germanic tribes) to 11th century (Slavic tribes). • most Germanic tribes were Arians. • barbarians were uncivilized, warlike people with little developed culture.

3. Introduction • With power vacuum created by fall of Roman empire, bishops gained influence in the political and spiritual sectors of their day. • Many barbarians converted largely due to two forces : • Christian missionaries from Ireland, England & Germany. • Christian queens influenced their pagan husbands to convert.

4. Part One Conversion of France, the “Church’s Eldest Daughter”

5. Conversion of France • Prior to their conversion, Franks were not Christian. • St. Clotilda was a Christian; she was also the wife of Clovis, Frankish chief; she tried to obtain his conversion. • Clovis promised if the Christian God helped him win the battle against Alemanni, he’d convert.

6. Conversion of France • Franks won and so at Rheims in A.D. 497, Clovis & 3000 of his troops were baptized by–Bishop Remigius . • Franks were the first Germanic tribe to be converted. • Clovis united Gaul by conquering neighboring Germanic tribes & having them baptized; by mid 6th century all of Gaul was Christian.

7. Conversion of France • St. Gregory of Tours wrote History of the Franks.

8. Part Three The Conversion of the Celts (Irish)

9. Who was St. Patrick?

10. St. Patrick: The “Apostle of Ireland” (d. 493) • Born a Roman Briton & son of Roman city official. • Irish pirates kidnapped him at 16; sold as slave to Celts. • Escaped after 6 years and later studied for priesthood.

11. St. Patrick: The “Apostle of Ireland” • In 430's Pope St. Celestine I sent Patrick to Ireland to aid Bishop Palladius. • Palladius died & Patrick made bishop. • In 15 years, many in northern half of island baptized & religious communities started.

12. St. Patrick: The “Apostle of Ireland” • Confessions– Patrick’s book about his spiritual journey of conversion & faith.

13. Irish Monks: Protectors & Promoters of Western Civilization • Irish monasticism • resembled austere Eastern monastic tradition – “anything that could be done to deny the body comfort was employed as a means to bring the soul closer to God.” • 6th & 7th Century – height of Irish influence on Christian culture & evangelization.

14. Irish Monks: Protectors & Promoters of Western Civilization • Their monasteries – most important centers of learning in all Europe. • Their libraries & scriptoria preserved Greco-Roman literary traditions. • Irish Christianity differed from Roman Christianity – no diocesan priests; abbots exercise authority of a bishop. • By 800's, Irish influence declined due to Viking raids & English monasticism.

15. St. Columbanus& Irish on the Continent (d. 615) • He evangelized northern coast of France & Switzerland. • Renewed Christianity where it was weak. • Bobbio– monastery in Italian Alps founded by Columbanus; later Bobbio became important center of learning.

16. St. Columbanus & Irish on the Continent • Celtic spirituality promoted frequent Penance rather than austere public penance of the Roman tradition that was received only once. • Irish monks developed Penitential Booksto determine what penance went with what sin. • 1215 Fourth Lateran Council – private frequent Penance universally accepted.

17. Part Four Conversion of England

18. St. Augustine of Canterbury: “Apostle of England” (d. ca. 604-609) • Benedictine monk and prior of St. Andrew’s monastery in Rome (one established by Pope Gregory the Great). • In 596 Pope Gregory sent Augustine & 40 monks to England; at one point Augustine asked to return due to rumors of brutality of barbarians in England but Gregory refused his request.

19. St. Augustine of Canterbury: “Apostle of England” (d. ca. 604-609) • Ethelbert – king of Kent had Christian wife named Bertha (great-granddaughter of King Clovis of Franks). • Christmas Day 597, 10,000 Saxons were baptized in Canterbury. • All pagan temples converted into Christian churches.

20. St. Augustine of Canterbury: “Apostle of England” (d. ca. 604-609) • Augustine became Primate Bishop of England in 601 by Pope Gregory and so received thepallium (woolen cloth showing sign of authority & papal favor)

21. B. St. Bede: The “Father of English History”(673-735) • Born in England and entered Benedictine monastery at age 7 at Jarrow. • Anglo-Saxon scholar who wrote Ecclesiastical History of the English People. • Wrote on numerous topics –commentaries on the Bible, biography of St. Cuthbert, history.

22. St. Bede: The “Father of English History”(673-735) • His work utilized Christian measurement of time & made it popular. • Declared “Venerable”within a century of his death & “Doctor of the Church”by Leo XIII in 1899. • After 800, Church in England suffered a great decline– Viking attacks.

23. Part Five Conversion of Germany and the Low Countries

24. St. Boniface: “Apostle of Germany”(675-754) • Born Winfred and entered Benedictine monastery at age 7 in England • Eventually became teacher & head of the monastic school • Discerned a call to be a missionary to the German people and in 716 left for Frisia hoping to bring them back to the faith they abandoned.

25. St. Boniface: “Apostle of Germany”(675-754) • Unable to convert the Frisians, he asked pope should he stay or return to England; pope deeply impressed with Winfred’s holiness and changed his name to Boniface and makes him papal legate to Germany • Boniface tried to convert Hessians(south of Frisia) and succeeded after he fells sacred tree, Oak of Thor • Hessians surprised he did not die of thunderbolt and conclude Christian God is the stronger.

26. St. Boniface: “Apostle of Germany”(675-754) • In trip to Rome (736), Boniface made Archbishop of Mainz; returns & founds monastery of Fulda – center for conversion & spiritual renewal for priests and missionaries. • Reformed Frankish church. • At 76 years old, returned to Frisia and was martyred.

27. Part Six The Conversion of the Slavs

28. A. Sts. Cyril and Methodius: The “Apostles of the Slavs” • First missionaries among the Slavs. • Emperor commissioned brothers as missionaries to Moravia (Slovakia).

29. Sts. Cyril and Methodius: The “Apostles of the Slavs” • Cyril developed Glagolithicscript(later known as Cyrillic alphabet) to help convert liturgy & Bible into Slavonic tongue. • German missionaries denounced the brothers since not using Latin. • Brothers go to Rome & new pope (Adrian II) granted them permission to continue with Slavonic liturgy.

30. Sts. Cyril and Methodius: The “Apostles of the Slavs” • Cyril died shortly afterward & was buried in San Clemente in Rome. • Methodius arrested & imprisoned by German missionaries; then finally released by Pope John VIII; pope reaffirmed the use of Slavonic language.

31. Sts. Cyril and Methodius: The “Apostles of the Slavs” 8. Later popes refused to recognize the use of Slavonic & so many Slavs left Roman for Greek church of Constantinople. 9. 1980 Pope John Paul II named brothers “Patrons of Europe.”