Edward the Confessor

 Today we celebrate the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day). I attended Mass at my Dad's church where they remembered him in prayer exactly two weeks after his passing.

I would like to do a Saint post today in memory of Dad, but I have already done posts on St. Basil the Great (11/21/22), St. Basil the Elder (4/17/16) and St. Basil the Blessed, also known as Fool for Christ (11/26/18). So, I will go with Dad's second patron based on his middle name, Edward.

Edward was born about 1003-1005 in Islip, England. He was the son of King Ethelred III (known as the unready) and Emma of Normandy. The Danes invaded England in 1013, and Edward went into exile in Normandy with his mother. He remained in exile until 1042, when with the help of the powerful Earl Godwin he was acclaimed king of England. His reign was largely a peaceful one yet also marked by tension due to his natural inclination to favor the Normans over the Saxons. He was popular with the people for his just reign and the remission of odious taxes. 

Edward built and endowed St. Peter's Abbey at Westminster, the site of the present Abbey. He died on January 5, 1066, and was buried in Westminster Abbey the next day. The Abbey was rebuilt in the thirteenth century by Henry III. King Edward's remains were translated to their new resting place on October 13, 1269 (now his feast day). His relics are the only ones in England that remain in situ after the violence perpetrated on Catholic sites by Henry VIII and his successors.

St. Edward the Confessor is the only English King to be canonized as a Saint by a pope. Other English royals bear the title of Saint by tradition that preceded the formal canonization process. Some historians regard Edward as an unlikely saint and propose that his canonization was more for political reasons than otherwise. But others contend that his cult started so soon after his death that there must be something to it. Supporters cite his piety, gentleness and care for the poor. He was canonized by Pope Alexander III in 1161.

St. Edward the Confessor, pray for us.