Bede’s most well- known work is Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum, or The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, a history of the Christian Church in England. While Bede also provides an in- depth history of England from the time of the Romans up to his own lifetime, his main focus is the spread of Christianity in his native country. A lengthy discussion of the development of Anglo- Saxon kingdoms up to the eighth century is complemented with a catalogue of saints, converted kings, and miracles. Bede pays particular attention to the rivalry between Rome- centered church practice and the Celtic Christian communities that had been present in Britain and Ireland for centuries before the arrival of the Anglo- Saxons. Bede’s work is considered one of the most important sources of Anglo- Saxon history for modern- day scholarship. It is a major source for political, social, and religious history in England during the early Anglo- Saxon age. The excerpts presented here detail the arrival of Saint Augustine of Canterbury in Britain in the late sixth century to carry the message of Roman Christianity.