Birinus was a missionary from northern Italy around the year 634. Rome sent him to Britain thinking the job would be simple—just guide people who already knew something about Christianity and help clear up their beliefs. It sounded light and straightforward, but when he arrived, the situation looked very different from what he expected.
Pope Honorius had sent him with one plan: strengthen regions that had already been introduced to the Christian faith but still needed guidance. It was supposed to be familiar territory, nothing surprising.
But when he reached England, reality didn’t match the assignment. The areas he thought were already Christianized weren’t. Wessex was basically untouched. No structure, no churches, no base community—like going to a gig where you expected a full sound system but there isn’t even electricity.
With a situation like that, he couldn’t follow the original plan even if he tried. It simply didn’t fit what he found. Instead of stepping back or waiting for new instructions, he stayed. He didn’t run back to Rome to report the mismatch. He didn’t wait for better logistics. He just said: All right. Then we start from zero.
That choice—moving forward even when the plan no longer applied—became the reason Wessex ever became Christian at all.
⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ
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