| Saint Bertha of Kent | |
|---|---|
| Queen and Confessor | |
| Born | c. 539 Neustria (now northern France) |
| Died | c. 612 Canterbury, Kent, England |
| Honored in | Roman Catholic Church; Anglican Communion |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
| Feast | May, 1st |
Saint Bertha (or Saint Aldeberge) (539 – c. 612) was the Queen of Kent whose influence led to the introduction of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England. She was canonized as a saint for her role in its establishment during that period of English history.
Bertha was the daughter of Charibert I, Merovingian King of Paris.[1] When she married the pagan King Æthelberht of Kent, she brought her chaplain, Liudhard, with her to England.[2] She restored a Christian church in Canterbury, which dated from Roman times, dedicating it to Saint Martin of Tours. The present St Martin's at Canterbury occupies the same site. Augustine of Canterbury, whose Gregorian mission was sent by Pope Gregory I to preach the Gospel in England in 596, owed much of his favorable reception to the influence of Bertha.
Anglo-Saxon records indicate that Saint Bertha had two children:
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.