Paulinus of York

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Saint Paulinus (?-644) was the first bishop of York.

Paulinus was a monk at St. Andrew's Monastery in Rome, when, in 601, Pope Gregory I sent him to join Mellitus and others in the second group of missionaries to England. Writing in 731, Bede described Paulinus as "a tall figure, slightly bent, with black hair, a thin hooked nose, and an emaciated face" (Stenton, 1971, p. 116). He was in Kent until 625, when he was consecrated as bishop by Justus. He then accompanied Æthelberg, the sister of King Eadbald of Kent, to Northumbria where she was to marry King Edwin.

According to Bede, Paulinus eventually convinced Edwin to convert to Christianity, baptizing him and many of his followers in 627. With the support of Edwin, Paulinus greatly expanded the church in Northumbria. For example, during a stay with Edwin and Æthelberg at Yeavering, he worked incessently for 36 days to baptise new converts.

When Edwin was defeated and killed in battle in 633, Paulinus took the queen and her children to Kent, where he spent the remainder of his life as Bishop of Rochester. Edwin's defeat led immediately to a sharp decline of Christianity in Northumbria. Although Paulinus' deacon, James, remained in the North and struggled to rebuild the Roman mission, it was monks from the rival Celtic tradition who eventually re-established Christianity in the region.

The festival of St. Paulinus is formally observed by English Roman Catholics on October 10, the anniversary of his death. Five ancient churches in England were dedicated to him, and there were cults of him at Canterbury and Rochester.

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Legends

A legend once told in the town of Caistor concerning St. Paulinus of York states that as the saint was riding an ass along the ancient trackway that runs near the town, he met a man sowing corn. Paulinus asked for some grain to feed his ass; the man replied that he had none. Spotting a sack in the field, Paulinus asked the man what it contained. “That is no sack,” the man lied, “but only a stone.” “Then stone it shall be,” the saint replied. The stone is now known as Fonaby Stone (also known as the Sack Stone or Stone Sack), which sits upon Fonaby Top, and any attempt to move, displace, or damage is said to result in dreadful misfortune. This is said to have occurred around 627, during St. Paulinus' visit to Caistor.

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