About St. Edward the Confessor

FACTS about St. Edward the Confessor

Born: c. 1003-1005 in Winchester Cathedral

Died: January 5, 1066 in London, England

Venerated: Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Anglican Communion

Canonized: February 7, 1161 by Pope Alexander III

Feast Day: October 13

Patronages: Difficult Marriages English Royal Family

Getting to Know St. Edward the Confessor

St. Edward the Confessor: A Synopsis Edward the Confessor was the son of King Ethelred III and his Norman wife, Emma, daughter of Duke Richard I of Normandy. He was born at Islip, England, and sent to Normandy with his mother in 1013 when the Danes under Sweyn and his son Canute invaded England. Canute remained in England and the year after Ethelred’s death in 1016, married Emma, who had returned to England, and became King of England. Edward remained in Normandy, was brought up a Norman, and in 1042, on the death of his half-brother, Hardicanute, son of Canute and Emma, and largely through the support of the powerful Earl Godwin, he was acclaimed king of England. In 1044, he married Godwin’s daughter Edith. 

His reign was a peaceful one characterized by his good rule and remission of odious taxes, but also by the struggle, partly caused by his natural inclination to favor the Normans, between Godwin and his Saxon supporters and the Norman barons, including Robert of Jumieges, whom Edward had brought with him when he returned to England and whom he named Archbishop of Canterbury in 1051. 


In the same year, Edward banished Godwin, who took refuge in Flanders but returned the following year with a fleet ready to lead a rebellion. Armed revolt was avoided when the two men met and settled their differences; among them was the Archbishop of Canterbury, which was resolved when Edward replaced Robert with Stigand, and Robert returned to Normandy. 
St Edward’s reign was generally peaceful but not without difficulties. He created a strong monarchy, abolished many taxes and avoided major conflict through dialogue.St Edward’s legacy included the rewards of careful appointments of Bishops and Archbishops as well as the building of Westminster Abbey, where he is buried.

Edward’s difficulties continued after Godwin’s death in 1053 with Godwin’s two sons: Harold who had his eye on the throne since Edward was childless, and Tostig, Earl of Northumbria. Tostig was driven from Northumbria by a revolt in 1065 and banished to Europe by Edward, who named Harold his successor. After this Edward became more interested in religious affairs and built Saint Peter’s Abbey at Westminster, the site of the present Abbey, where he is buried. His piety gained him the surname “the Confessor.” 
He died in London on January 5, and he was canonized in 1161 by Pope Alexander III. His feast day is October 13.

EDWARDIAN PRAYERS

Prayer to St. Edward
Oh God, who called your servant Edward to earthly throne, that he might advance your heavenly kingdom, and give him zeal for your Church and love for people.

Mercifully, grant that we who remember him this day, may be fruitful in good works and attain to the glorious crowns of your saints, through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Prayer 1
Lord, you raised St. Edward, king and confessor, to excel in good government and faithful service.

May these ideals survive and flourish among us through his prayers.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer 2
Most glorious St. Edward, you showed your devotion to God with patience, gentleness and generosity.

Like you, may I serve to strengthen the Kingdom of God through patient, prayer and charity.
Amen.
Prayer before Meetings
Pray that we will use dialogue and reasoning to reconcile and overcome all conflict. Amen
For prayer and reflection
"You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you:
Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God." -Micah 6:8
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever.
Amen.
The 23rd Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I well dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
A Prayer for World Peace
O Lord God, we pray for peace and love in all the nations, among all the people that all wars and hatred will end.

We pray for all those who suffer from war, injustice and intolerance, for the children, young people, the poor and neglected ones.
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