Saint James the Deacon

James the Deacon (died after 671) was a Roman deacon who accompanied Paulinus of York on his mission to Northumbria. He was a member of the Gregorian mission, which went to England to Christianise the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism. However, when he arrived in England is unknown. After Paulinus left Northumbria, James stayed near Lincoln and continued his missionary efforts, dying sometime after 671, according to the medieval chronicler Bede. James was presumably an Italian, like the other members of the Gregorian mission. The dates of his birth and his arrival in Britain are unknown. He went with Paulinus to Northumbria accompanying Æthelburh, sister of King Eadbald of Kent, who went to Northumbria to marry King Edwin. Traditionally, this event is dated to 625, but the historian D. P. Kirby argues that the mission to Northumbria probably happened before 619. Edwin died in battle at Hatfield fighting against Penda of Mercia and Caedwalla in 633. Edwin had been the main supporter of Paulinus' mission, and with his death, a pagan backlash set in. Paulinus fled to Kent, along with Æthelburg and Edwin and Æthelburg's daughter Eanflæd. James, however, remained behind in Northumbria and continued missionary efforts. James' efforts were centred in Lincoln, at a church that Paulinus had built there, the remains of which may lie under the church of St. Paul-in-the-Bail. This was in the dependent kingdom of Lindsey, where Paulinus had preached before Edwin's death, and it was reconquered by one of Edwin's successors, Oswald of Northumbria in the 640s. Bede writes that James lived in a village near Catterick, which "bears his name to this day". He reports that James undertook missionary work in the area and lived to a great age. During the reign of King Oswiu of Northumbria, James attended the royal court, for he celebrated Easter with Oswiu's queen, Eanflæd, Edwin's daughter.