Thread by @africanae9732

Did you know that in the early Middle Ages a North African monk came to occupy a leading role in the English church?

Thread on Adrian of Canterbury! 🧵

Most of what we know about Adrian comes from the 7th century English monk and historian Bede and his Ecclesiastical History. Bede tells us little about our protagonists early life, simply that he was North African by birth, suggesting he was very likely Berber. From what we do know however we are able to guess Adrian was likely born c. 630-640, in Cyrenaica in Libya, then moved to Italy at a young age. Though Bede doesn’t say this it is very possible he was one of many refugees who fled North Africa to escape the upheaval caused by the Arab conquests

While young Adrian also became a monk, which being one of the primary means of education in his day meant he became a very well learned man. Bede tells us he was ‘very learned in the Scriptures, experienced in ecclesiastical and monastic administration and a great scholar’. At first he quietly settled into a monastery near Naples, but fate had other plans in store for him.

In 667, Pope Vitallian needed to select a new Archbishop of Canterbury. With all of the aforementioned qualities Adrian possessed he seemed like a natural fit for the office, and as such was Vitallians first choice. Adrian however did not believe himself to be fit for the role, and begged the pope to instead pick his good friend Theodore of Tarsus for the position. The pope agreed, but decided to send Adrian to England regardless, to join the growing monastic movement in the country

Adrian left shortly afterwards but en route to England he was stopped in France and detained by people loyal to the mayor of the palace, Ebroin. Ebroin didn’t trust the monk, thinking him to be an agent from the eastern Roman emperor Constans II (the part of Italy Adrian was based in was still under eastern Roman control). Eventually he and Theodore received permission to continue, and they reached England by the end of May 669

Upon his arrival, Adrian was given a role as Abbott of one of the leading monasteries in Canterbury. He settled into this role well, also finding the time to co-found a school with Theodore, which quickly grew in popularity. The curriculum included Greek, the scriptures, church calendar and poetry. Bede says they ‘attracted a large number of students, into whose minds they poured the waters of wholesome knowledge day by day’

Adrian’s impact on Anglo Saxon culture cannot be overstated. He and Theodore ensured the spread of church music to across the English church, whereas previously it had been restricted to Kent. They also introduced the feasts of multiple saints into the English church calendar. The so called ‘dark ages’ aren’t entirely unworthy of their name even if exaggerated, but it is true that around this time England experienced something of a renaissance

Adrian also left something of a North African blueprint on the Anglo Saxon nation. One of his pupils was aldheim, who later became bishop of Sherborne. Aldheim would write ‘The Enigmata’, a collection of 100 riddles which were inspired by the North African writer Symophius. It is also likely Adrian brought the writings of the Christian martyr cyprian of Carthage with him. With the fall of North Africa to Islam, these represent some of the final remnants of Christianity in the region.

Adrian of Canterbury died in 710, in his 70s. He was buried in the monastery he helped to found. His relics were excavated for veneration in 1091. The Catholic Church venerates him as a saint with his feast day on January 9, a worthy legacy for a man who did so much for Anglo-Saxon culture yet is mostly forgotten today