28 February 2007

Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day

Today's pick is Edwin, the first abbott of Westminster Abbey, which according to one source "opened" today in 1066. I use the quotes as the Abbey was really a rebuilt version of one already standing, the improvements coming from Edward the Confessor, who built the Abbey instead of going on pilgrimage to Rome. As luck (?) would have it, Edwards was too ill to attend the consecration of the new abbey's church, and he died a few days later.

Both Edward and Edwin are honored in the Royal Army Medical Corps window on the north side of the Abbey's nave. They were apparently friendly, which explains why Edward decided to rebuild Edwin's abbey rather than start anew.

Edwin served as abbott until c. 1071. That's about all I can tell you about him, which is kind of surprising given the amount of info about the Abbey that's online.

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