saints
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Tucked away in the Marshwood Vale in Dorset stands St. Candida’s church, in the village of Whitchurch Canonicorum, population around 700. The church is named after the obscure saint Wite, whose name is ‘Candida’ in Latin. Whitchurch simply means Wite’s church, and the ‘canonicorum’ part of the village name refers to the canons of Salisbury …
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In 1958-1960, when I lived just outside Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, I remember that about 1.74 miles/2.80 kilometres from my home I often passed an old farm close to a parish church. I simply noticed, that’s all. Back then I wasn’t particularly interested in history. I was a teenager, more concerned with the likes of Buddy Holly,…
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St. Philip Howard and the greyhound in the Tower
4th Duke of Norfolk, Anne Dacre, Armada, attainder, attempted exile, Catholicism, Church of England, dysentery, executions, Father Edmund Campion, Father Robert Southwell, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Jesuits, John Foxe, Lady Mary Fitzalan, martyrs, Philip Howard Earl of Arundel, restoration in blood, saints, treasonPhilip Howard, lived from 1557-1595. He was the only son of Thomas Howard 4th Duke of Norfolk by his first wife, Lady Mary Fitzalan who was, of course, the Arundel heiress. Philip’s father was executed for treason against Queen Elizabeth I in 1572, which explains why Philip was not allowed to succeed as Duke of…
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It is not just King Richard III who has had numerous scientific tests done on his mortal remains. Tests have also recently taken place on the jawbone of Louis IX of France who died in 1270 while on Crusade in Tunisia. Louis is also known as ‘The Saint’ and was the husband of Margaret of…
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England and Wales abound with saints who have never figured very highly—or even at all—in the estimation of Rome. British saints rarely seem to reach the hallowed list, unless they were of the calibre of Becket. But in their local area these saints were much revered and of considerable importance. One of them is…
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This article is from 2017, and tells that they may have found the last resting place of Father Christmas. BUT, Father Christmas still comes around every year, right? So he can’t have turned up the toes of his fur-lined boots. Therefore this St Nicholas chap is someone entirely different. Ask any child!
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The truth about the Christian New Year’s Eve….
Admiral Villeneuve, Antipopes, Charles “III”, Constantine, conversion, decimal system, Edmund of Rutland, Eglise St. Germain Rennes, Gregorian Calendar, Hogmanay, Horatio Nelson, Janus, Julian Calendar, Julius Caesar, Mary Stuart, Naval warfare, New Year’s Eve, paganism, popes, Richard Duke of York, saints, St. Sylvester, suicide, Trafalgar, WakefieldNew Year’s Eve now and New Year’s Eve in the mediaeval period actually refer to two different calendar days. Old New Year’s Eve was 24th March. For an easy-to-understand explanation, please go to here, but whichever the day, it was still New Year’s Eve. We now celebrate it with much fun, laughter and hope, but…
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6th July is a day of three saints, St Godelva (d. 1070), St Sexburga of Ely (679-700) and St Merryn of Andresey. I have only previously heard of St Sexberga. Were they all celebrated on this day in medieval churches? (The above illustration is merely an example of an early church – the building depicted is…
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In 2020 there are planned commemorations of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. King Henry II blew his top, shouted words to the effects of ‘Who will rid me of this turbulent priest? and four knights clunked off towards Canterbury, thinking the King would reward them well if they disposed of Thomas. The…
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