Saints in Anglicanism

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In a catholic sense, the term "saint" refers to any spiritually saved person—however, since the 10th century, the title "Saint" is reserved for those who have been officially recognised by the Church for outstanding Christian service and conduct. In the days when the Church of England was in union with Rome, recognition was in the form of canonisation. Those martyrs and confessors given the title traditionally, prior to the establishment of the canonisation process or since the break with Rome, are generally still considered both "saints" and "Saints".[1] The title "Hero" is sometimes used as well, more often to refer to those Saints who have lived and died since the time of the Reformation.

The provinces of the Anglican Communion commemorate many of the same saints as those in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints, often on the same days. In some cases, the Anglican Calendars have retained traditional feasts that the Roman Catholic Church has abolished or moved.

Early Christianity

Like the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion has special holy days in honour of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Apostles. Many of the parishes churches in the Communion have the names Christ Church, and St. Mary the Virgin. The same can also be said for the four great patrons of Great Britain and Ireland: Saint George (Patron of England), Saint David (Patron of Wales), Saint Patrick (Patron of Ireland), and Saint Andrew (Patron of Scotland).

English saints

English and local saints are often emphasized, and there are differences between the provinces' calendars. King Charles I of England is the only person to have been treated as a new saint by some Anglicans following the English Reformation, after which he was referred to as a martyr and included briefly in a calendar of the Book of Common Prayer.[2] This canonisation is, however, considered neither universal nor official in the Anglican Communion worldwide, and many national Churches list him as a martyr and not a Saint, or as neither.

English martyrs

There are several persons commemorated in the modern Anglican calendars who were opposed to the Roman Catholic Church. Of particular note are John Wycliffe and William Tyndale, the last of whom King Henry VIII had executed by strangulation in Belgium for his Protestant views, for beginning the full translation of the Bible into English (a project which led to the Geneva Bible), and for writings against the Catholic Church.

The Oxford Martyrs, Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, and Hugh Latimer, are also commemorated for the courage they showed in death, and for their belief in a free Church of England.

Ugandan martyrs

In the 19th century a group of Anglican and Roman Catholic converts were martyred together in Uganda. On 18 October 1964, Pope Paul VI canonised the 22 Ugandan martyrs who were Roman Catholics.

Modern notables

Anglican Churches also commemorate various famous (often post-Reformation) Christians. The West front of Westminster Abbey, for example, contains statues of 20th-century martyrs like Maximilian Kolbe, Martin Luther King, Jr., Oscar Romero, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Lucian Tapiedi (one of the Anglican New Guinea Martyrs).

Some traditional Anglican saints

  • Aelred of Hexham (1110-1167), Abbot of Rievaulx——January 12
  • Aidan (d. 651), Bishop of Lindisfarne, Missionary——
  • Alban (d. between 209-304), Protomartyr of Britain——June 22
  • Alcuin of York (c. 735-804), Deacon, Abbot of Tours
  • Aldhelm (c. 639-709), Bishop of Sherborne——May 25
  • Alfred the Great (849-899), King of Wessex
  • Alphege (954-1012), Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr——April 19
  • Anselm of Canterbury (c. 1033-1109), Archbishop of Canterbury
  • Augustine of Canterbury (d. c. 604), first Archbishop of Canterbury——
  • Benedict Biscop (c. 628-690), Abbot of Wearmouth——January 12
  • Birinus (c. 600-649), Bishop of Dorchester, Apostle of Wessex——September 4 (Church of England) December 3 (Roman Catholic)
  • Brigid (c. 451-525), Abbess of Kildare——February 1
  • Cedd (c. 620-644), Abbot of Lastingham, Bishop of the East Saxons——October 26
  • Chad (d. 672), Bishop of Lichfield——March 2
  • Charles I of England (1600-1649), King of England, Scotland, and Ireland——January 30
  • Columba (521-597), Abbot of Iona, Missionary——June 9
  • Crispin and Crispinian (d. c. 286)——October 25 Immortalized as Saint Crispin's Day in Henry V by Shakespeare
  • Cuthbert (c. 634-687), Bishop of Lindisfarne——Church of England March 20; Church in Wales September 4); 31 August Episcopal Church (USA) August 31
  • Dunstan (c. 909-989), Archbishop of Canterbury
  • Edmund the Martyr (d. 869), King of the East Angles, Martyr
  • Edward the Confessor (c. 1003 to 1005-1066), King of England——October 13 (Translation of relics)
  • Etheldreda (c. 636-679), Abbess of Ely——June 23
  • Felix of Burgundy (d. 647 or 648), Bishop, Apostle to the East Angles——March 8
  • Robert Grosseteste (c. 1175-1253), Bishop of Lincoln, Philosopher, Scientist
  • Hilda (c. 614-680), Abbess of Whitby
  • Hildegard (1098-1179), Abbess of Bingen, Visionary——September 17
  • Hugh (1135 to 1140-1200), Carthusian monk and Bishop of Lincoln——November 17
  • Julian of Norwich (c. 1342-c. 1416), Spiritual Writer, Mystic——May 8, May 13
  • Margery Kempe (c. 1373-after 1438), Housewife and Mystic
  • William Laud (1573-1645), Archbishop of Canterbury——January 10
  • Margaret (c. 1045-1093), Queen of Scotland, Mystic——June 10 or November 16
  • Mellitus (d. 624), first Bishop of London——April 24
  • Kentigern (d. 614), Bishop of Cumbria——January 13
  • Ninian (4th or 5th century), Bishop of Galloway, Apostle of the Picts——September 16
  • Osmund (d. 1099), Bishop of Salisbury——December 4
  • Oswald (c. 604-642), King of Northumbria, Martyr——August 5
  • Paulinus (d. 644), Archbishop of York, Missionary——October 10
  • Petroc (d. c. 564), Missionary to the West Country——June 4
  • Richard, Bishop of Chichester (1197-1253)——
  • Richard Rolle (1290-1349) of Hampole, Spiritual Writer
  • Edmund Rich of Abingdon (1175-1240), Archbishop of Canterbury——November 16
  • Saint Swithun (d. c. 682), Bishop of Winchester——July 15 in England and July 2 in Norway
  • Theodore of Tarsus (602-690), Archbishop of Canterbury——September 19
  • Thomas á Becket (c. 1118-1170), Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr——December 29
  • William Tyndale (c. 1494-1536), Translator of the Scriptures, Martyr——October 6
  • The Venerable Bede (672 or 673-735), Monk at Jarrow, Scholar, Historian——Western Churches on May 25 and Orthodox Churches May 27
  • Wilfrid (c. 633-c. 709), Bishop, Missionary——
  • William of Ockham(c. 1287-1347), Friar, Philosopher
  • Willibrord of York (c. 658-739), Bishop, Apostle of Frisia——November 7
  • Wulfstan (d. 1095), Bishop of Worcester——January 19

Examples of modern Anglican saints

The ninth Lambeth Conference held in 1958 clarified the commemoration of Saints and Heroes of the Christian Church in the Anglican Communion. Resolution 79 stated:

  • In the case of scriptural saints, care should be taken to commemorate men or women in terms which are in strict accord with the facts made known in Holy Scripture.
  • In the case of other names, the Calendar should be limited to those whose historical character and devotion are beyond doubt.
  • In the choice of new names economy should be observed and controversial names should not be inserted until they can be seen in the perspective of history.
  • The addition of a new name should normally result from a widespread desire expressed in the region concerned over a reasonable period of time.[3]

Modern Anglican saints

Main article: Calendar of saints (Church of England)

The following have been identified as heroes of the Christian Church in the Anglican Communion (post-reformation individuals commemorated in the Church of England Calendar,[4] excluding those primarily venerated by the Roman Catholic or Orthodox churches):

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church by F. L. Cross (Editor), E. A. Livingstone (Editor) Oxford University Press, USA; 3 edition p.1444-1445 (March 13, 1997)
  2. ↑ Major, Richard (2006). "Anglican heroics? Sermon for the feast of King Charles the martyr" (pdf). Rector, St Mary's Episcopal Church, Staten Island, New York. Archived from the original on 2008-05-29. Retrieved 2007-02-22. 
  3. ↑ http://www.lambethconference.org/resolutions/1958/1958-79.cfm
  4. ↑ The Archbishop's Council (13 Dec 2007). "Common Worship: Festivals". Church House Publishing. Retrieved 16 May 2012. 

Further reading

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