Saint Ethelbert of Kent

Also known as

• Ædilberct
• Æthelberht
• Aedilberct
• Aethelberht
• Aibert
• Albert
• Edilbertus

Memorial

• 25 February
• formerly 24 February

Profile

Son of Eormenric; great-grandson of Hengist, Saxon conqueror of Britain. Raised as a pagan worshipper of Odin. King of Kent in 560. Defeated by Ceawlin of Wessex at the battle of Wimbledon in 568, ending his attempt to rule all of Britain. Married the Christian Bertha, daughter of Charibert, King of the Franks; they had three children. Convert to Christianity, baptized by Saint Augustine of Canterbury in 597; his example led to the baptism of 10,000 of his countrymen within a few months, and he supported Augustine in his missionary work with land, finances and influence. Issued the first written laws to the English people in 604.

Born

• 552

Died

• 24 February 616 at Canterbury, England of natural causes
• buried in the side chapel of Saint Martin in the abbey church of Saints Peter and Paul
• relics later translated to Canterbury

Canonized

• Pre-Congregation

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Catholic Encyclopedia, by Ewan MacPherson
• Christian Biographies, by James E Kiefer
• Katherine Rabenstein
• Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
• Medieval Religion Listserv, by John Dillon
• New Catholic Dictionary
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
• Wikipedia

MLA Citation

• “Saint Ethelbert of Kent“. Saints.SQPN.com. 23 February 2013. Web. 21 May 2013. <>