Birinus facts for kids
Birinus, also known as Saint Birinus, was an important Christian missionary who lived a long time ago. He helped bring Christianity to a part of England called Wessex. He became the first Bishop of Dorchester. People remember him on December 3rd each year.
Birinus's Journey and Mission
Birinus might have been from a place called Lombardy. The leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Honorius I, sent him on a special mission. His job was to help teach people about Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England, where many still followed older religions.
First, Birinus went to Genoa. There, Archbishop Asterius of Milan made him a bishop. This means he was given a special role in the church. Birinus arrived in southern Britain around the year 634. He had planned to travel to the middle of England to preach.
But when he saw that the people in Wessex, called the Gewisse, were not Christian, he decided to stay with them. He started teaching the West Saxons about Christianity. In 635, King Cynegils of Wessex became a Christian. He was baptized by Birinus. King Oswald of Northumbria agreed to be his godfather. This might have been part of a deal for Oswald to marry Cynegils's daughter, Cyneburh.
King Cynegils gave Bishop Birinus the city of Dorchester. He also gave him several churches. This helped Birinus teach more people about Christianity in Wessex. Around 647 or 648, Birinus started a church in Winchester. This church later became Winchester Cathedral. Birinus passed away in 650 and was buried in Dorchester.
The Relics of Saint Birinus
After the year 660, there were no more West Saxon Bishops in Dorchester. The area became part of Mercia. The new main church for Wessex was moved to Winchester. Around 690–700, Bishop Hedda of Winchester moved the relics of Saint Birinus. Relics are the bones or other items connected to a saint. They were moved from Dorchester to Winchester.
Before this, Bishop Birinus was not considered a very famous saint. But in 1223, monks at Dorchester Abbey found the tomb of a former bishop. The body was dressed in bishop's clothes. They believed it was Saint Birinus.
When the tomb was found, people claimed miracles happened. One story said a child who could not speak suddenly started speaking English and French. The monks told the Pope in Rome about their discovery. The Pope asked Stephen Langton, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to manage the official moving of the relics.
However, there was a problem. Archbishop Langton found out that the body had already been moved to Winchester around the year 700. Both Dorchester and Winchester claimed to have the true relics of Bishop Birinus. Because of this, two special days were celebrated for him: December 3rd and December 4th. The Catholic Church officially recognizes December 3rd. A special shrine was built for him in the 14th century. It was later destroyed, but it has been rebuilt since then.
See also
In Spanish: Birino de Dorchester para niños
