By a curious irony, one of the greatest Englishmen who ever lived is largely forgotten in this country. In Germany, however, where his name is synonymous with the Anglo-Saxon Mission, his memory is still green. We have quite a lot of information about St Boniface's life and work, including an extremely interesting letter collection which allows us to see something of his friendships, especially with nuns. There are delightful touches: Boniface receiving a gift of towels (the Anglo-Saxons had an astonishing fondness for towels) or sending a community of monks a barrel of beer "for a merry day with the brethren". Benedictines owe him a special debt. The great abbey of Fulda and the popularity of the Rule of St Benedict throughout the Middle Ages owe much to his efforts. Finally, there is the moving story of his martyrdom, shielding himself from the axe blow by holding above his head the book of the Gospels, "protected in death by the book he had loved and studied in life." This diocese can claim Boniface for its own, for he taught at Nursling, where Leoba of Wimborne and later Bischofsheim may have been among his pupils. It is inspiring to think that the Christianization of so much of continental Europe stems from the missionary zeal of our monastic forebears here. May we in our day share their zeal.