Oct 13 – S Edward the Confessor

It’s the Feast of St. Edward the Confessor, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: “St. Michael the Archangel”, today’s news from the Church: “The Essence of the Fatima Message of October 13, 1917”, a preview of this week’s episode of Abp. Lefebvre Audiobook: “I Have Handed On What I Received”, and today’s thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? podcast@sspx.org

Sources Used Today:

Please Support this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >>

Saint Edward the Confessor was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England, and his reign ended just months before one of the most famous events in English history: the Norman Conquest of 1066.

But Edward’s story is interesting for another reason. He was a king who became a saint not because he died in battle or suffered martyrdom, but because he tried to govern his kingdom with justice, generosity, and a genuine love for God.

Edward was born around 1003 into the English royal family. His childhood was anything but peaceful. When Danish invaders took control of England, Edward was forced into exile in Normandy, where he spent much of his youth.

Imagine growing up as a prince who couldn’t actually live in his own country.

He eventually returned to England and became king in 1042. By then, he was already known for his religious devotion and gentle character.

Edward was not the sort of king who enjoyed warfare.

He preferred settling disputes, helping the poor, and supporting the Church. One tradition says that he was so generous that when a beggar asked for money and Edward had none available, he removed a valuable ring from his finger and gave it away.

That ring became part of one of England’s most beloved royal legends.

According to the story, years later two pilgrims traveling in the Holy Land encountered a mysterious old man who identified himself as Saint John the Evangelist. He gave them a ring to return to Edward, explaining that he had received it from the king while disguised as a beggar.

The message also foretold Edward’s approaching death.

Another tradition says Edward possessed the gift of healing. People suffering from a disease known as   came to him for help, and he reportedly cured them through prayer and touch. This helped establish the famous English custom of the Royal Touch, in which later kings touched sufferers while praying for their healing.

But Edward’s most visible legacy is something you can still visit.

He rebuilt Westminster Abbey.

Edward wanted a magnificent church dedicated to Saint Peter beside his royal palace in London. The abbey was consecrated in December 1065, just days before Edward died in January 1066.

The building we see today is largely a later Gothic reconstruction, but Edward’s shrine remains at its heart.

And here’s where the story gets especially interesting.

After Edward’s death, England descended into a succession crisis. Within months, William the Conqueror invaded, defeated King Harold at Hastings, and changed English history forever.

Yet the Norman kings who followed continued honoring Edward.

In fact, his reputation for holiness became so important that later English monarchs looked to him as a model of Christian kingship. His crown, or at least the crown traditionally associated with him, became part of the symbolism of English coronations.

Even today, the crown used for the most solemn moment of a British coronation is called Saint Edward’s Crown.

That’s an extraordinary legacy for a king who died nearly a thousand years ago.

Edward’s title, “the Confessor,” simply means that he witnessed to the faith through a holy life rather than through martyrdom.

He never conquered a great empire.

He never founded a religious order.

But he left behind a shrine, an abbey, and an ideal of kingship that survived the very dynasty he belonged to.

Saint Edward the Confessor, holy king of England and protector of the poor, pray for us.

– – – – – –

Explore more:

What is the SSPX Podcast?

The SSPX Podcast is produced by Angelus Press, which has as its mission the fortification of traditional Catholics so that they can defend the Faith, and reaching out to those who have not yet found Tradition.

What is the SSPX?

The main goal of the Society of Saint Pius X is to preserve the Catholic Faith in its fullness and purity, to teach its truths, and to diffuse its virtues, especially through the Roman Catholic priesthood.

Authentic spiritual life, the sacraments, and the traditional liturgy are its primary means of bringing this life of grace to souls.

Although the traditional Latin Mass is the most visible and public expression of the work of the Society, we are committed to defending Catholic Tradition in its entirety: all of Catholic doctrine and morals as the Church has always defended them. What people need is the Catholic Faith, without compromise, with all the truth and beauty which accompanies it.

https://sspx.org

SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST

Or just search “SSPX” in most podcast apps & programs.