James was presumably an
Italian, like the other members of the Gregorian mission. 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. 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. According to Bede's account of events, James was present at the Synod of Whitby. Bede states that after the synod, and the return of Roman customs, James, as a trained singing master in the Roman and Kentish style, taught many people
plainsong or
Gregorian chant in the Roman manner. The historian
Frank Stenton calls James "the one heroic figure in the Roman mission". This reflects the fact that many of the Gregorian missionaries had a habit of fleeing when things went wrong. After his death, James was venerated as a saint. His feast day is 17 August (Catholic
General Roman Calendar) or 11 October (
Church of England). ==See also==