The Baptism of King Ethelbert

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• According to the tradition it was ion 2nd June 597 King Ethelbert as well as others, accepted chrisitianity and was baptized in St. Martin Church on Whitsun Eve
• Bede mentioned the reasons as  being attracted by the pure life of the saints and by their most precious promises, whose truth they confirmed by performing many miracles.
• It seems that the mission had achived a great success and more and more began to flock to hear the Word, to forsake their heathen worship, and, through faith, to join the unity of Christ's Church.
• In the same time the King had not forced his folk to follow his example and compelled no one to accept Christianity; though none the less he showed greater affection for believers since they were his fellow citizens in the kingdom of heaven. The reason as Bede put it   'He had learned from his teachers and guides in the way of salvation that the service of Christ was voluntary and ought not to be compulsory.'
• King Ethelbert granted St. Augustine and his companions a place to settle in Canterbury, his chief city, and gave them possessions of vanous kinds for their needs.