All Saints Day Activity: Timeline of Saints – an All-age illustration of our Christian Heritage. Suggested text

The way in which to use this Timeline (or your own timeline) can be found HERE

1^st Century: The disciples, St Paul and the journeyings of the first apostles

One step into Second Century Britain Hidden saints often worshipping in small groups - one sect among many probably under persecution

Beginning of 3^rd Century is the martyrdom of Alban - a Roman Soldier who sheltered a Christian priest from Gaul and was baptized. Martyred in 208/9

4^th century British Bishops at Council of Arles in 314 but looking a little further afield St Martin of Tours - Soldier who cut his cloak in two and gave half to a beggar - wide influence - drawing on the Desert Fathers who had set up hermitages from the beginning of the century

5^th Century Augustine of Hippo stormy youth then remarkable theologian. Romans probably left Britain. But many places of worship (Bishops Germanus and Lupus preached "not only in Churches but also at cross-roads and in fields and lanes")

In the West, Patrick was evengelising Ireland having been taken there as a slave, escaping & returning later

6^th Century the rise of Celtic Christianity - Columba

7^th Century - Lindisfarne - Aidan (d 651): St Cuthbert (d 687). St Cedd (d 664)

8^th century - Bede Ecclesiastical history of the English Speaking peoples (d 735). At the end of the century Vikings made martyrs of many in Lindisfarne.

9^th Century Alfred - A Christian King battled against the Danes and persuaded Guthrun to be baptized

10^th Century - St Dunstan, Archbishop builds up the Church and revitalises the monasteries: In Bohemia – Good King Wenceslas

11^th Century Norman invasion dislodging the Anglo Saxons – some of the wealthy escaped abroad but probably many unseen saints

12^th Century Thomas a Becket v Henry II

But also straddling 12^th & 13^th centuries St Francis & St Clare

14^th Century – back home and Mother Julian of Norwich

15^th Century Thomas a Kempis “Imitation of Christ” & those who died at the hands of the Spanish Inquisition: Death of Katherine of Sienna – mystic & “politician”

16^th Century: Reformation – many martyrdoms among Catholics and Protestants – including Ridley & Latimer on October 16^th 1555. |

17^th Century  Opens with a wave of Catholic persecutions following the |Gunpowder plot: Sailing of the Mayflower to America in which stories can be found of saintliness

18^th Century  William Wilberforce –anti-slavery, the Church Missionary Society and the Bible Society

19^th Century Saints of the many Victorian  Missionary Societies who sent people out to distant lands who were martyred or fell ill and died

20^th Century – Dietrich Bonhoffer and/ or the huge number of unknown martyrdoms across the former Soviet Union: Oscar Romero & the Saints of South America

21^st Century  The parent and child represent US and symbolise our responsibility for being the people who spread the Good News of Jesus in this century