Lentorama 2018: Second String Saints

Day 8 - Edward the Confessor

I was surprised to see Edward on the list of saints who were demoted, as there's plenty of historical background for him, and there seems to have been a cult of Edward worship dating to just after his death. But the more you read about him and his canonization, the more it seems like his demotion was a long time coming.

It seems that Edward's saintly reputation was an embellishment of monks at Westminster Abbey, who saw an opportunity to make bank if Edward was canonized. This push wasn't fully supported by English royalty, and the pope at the time was happy to slow play it, as he was at odds with the English king at any rate.

But then politics intervened. The English backed Alexander III during a disputed conclave, and when a new push was made to make Edward a saint, it had the full backing of the monarchy and a quid pro quo ready to be completed. It's here that he picked up the "confessor" nickname, it referring to his living a holy life while not actually being martyred.

Really, the demotion was in the cards once St. George became the national saint and the chapel at Windsor Castle with Edward's name was renamed for George, it was just a matter of time. Being the Catholic church, though, that time was itself a long time in coming,.