Nominations Open!

Nominations for next year’s field of 32 saints are currently being accepted by the Supreme Executive Committee. Yes, in addition to Eastertide, today begins Nominationtide.

lent madness tote bagBut before we get to the main attraction, we encourage you to visit the Lentorium. You can prove your love for Lent Madness by loading up on Lent Madness merchandise, including the Lent Madness 2014 tote bag, the Lent Madness wall clock, some Lent Madness 2014 coasters, a Lent Madness 2014 magnet, and much, much more. And, of course, don't forget to stock up on Charles Wesley or Lent Madness perpetual purple mugs.

And now, on to the main attraction, the call for nominations for Lent Madness 2015!

As always, we seek to put together a balanced bracket of saints ancient and modern, Biblical and ecclesiastical representing the breadth and diversity of Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

Inevitably, some will disagree with certain match-ups or be disappointed that their favorite saint didn’t end up in the official bracket. If you find yourself muttering invective against the SEC, we implore you to take a deep cleansing breath. Remember, there’s always Lent Madness 2029.

While the SEC remains responsible for the formation of the final bracket, we encourage your participation in the nominating process. As in past years, we might even listen to some of your suggestions.

As you discern saints to nominate, please keep in mind that a number of saints are ineligible for next year’s “saintly smack down.” This includes the entire field of Lent Madness 2014, those saints who made it to the Round of the Elate Eight in 2013 and 2012, and those from the 2011 Faithful Four. Here is a comprehensive list of ineligible saints. Please keep this in mind as you submit your nominations — which you can do by leaving a comment on this post.

Also, please note that the saints you nominate should be in the sanctoral calendar of one or more churches. We’re open minded. To a point.

Remember that when it comes to saints in Lent Madness, many are called yet few are chosen (by the SEC). So leave a comment below with your (eligible) nomination!

The Field from 2014 (all ineligible)
Mary of Egypt
David of Wales
Ephrem of Edessa
Catherine of Siena
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Alfred the Great
Lydia
Catherine of Alexandria
Antony of Egypt
Moses the Black
Thomas Gallaudet
Joseph of Arimathea
John Wesley
Charles Henry Brent
Christina the Astonishing
Alcuin
Julia Chester Emry
Charles Wesley
FD Maurice
SJI Schereschewsky
Phillips Brooks
Harriet Bedell
JS Bach
Anna Cooper
John of the Cross
James Holly
Nicholas Ridley
Aelred
Louis of France
Thomas Merton
Basil the Great
Simeon

Past Golden Halo Winners (ineligible)
George Herbert, C.S. Lewis, Mary Magalene, Frances Perkins, Charles Wesley

From 2011 — 2013 (ineligible)
Jonathan Daniels
Harriet Tubman
Hilda of Whitby
Luke
Dorothy Day
Li-Tim Oi
Oscar Romero
Enmegahbowh
Emma of Hawaii
Margaret of Scotland
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Evelyn Underhill
Jerome
Thomas Cranmer
Clare of Assisi
Thomas Beckett
Perpetua

By the way, it's worth remembering that all the talk you hear these days about transparency and accountability is moot for the SEC. We reveal little and answer to no one. So if you don't like the choices that we'll announce at an unspecified future date known only to us (see what we did there?), start your own online devotional.

For now, we wish you a joyous Eastertide and Nominationtide.

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985 comments on “Nominations Open!”

    1. I am writing my nominations here because I can not figure out how to nominate someone any where else. Eugene Carson Blake; Saint/Pope Hilarius

  1. FRED ROGERS!!! FRED ROGERS!!!FRED ROGERS!!!FRED ROGERS!!!FRED ROGERS!!!
    Any questions?

    1. I wondered when folks mentioned Mr. Rogers, but......having watched him deal with a disagreeable person on a video recently, with such a quiet loving way, I tend to agree with everyone. Fred Rogers meets all comers in the same way I imagine Jesus did in His Day!

      1. I agree. I know in past years, you've mentioned that Fred Rogers isn't eligible because he isn't noted on any denomination's official list... However, I think it's important to remember that before canonization processes existed, saints were chosen by popular acclamation.

        This comments section is evidence enough that Fred Rogers has been canonized through sensus fidelium!

        1. yes- FRED ROGERS for all the reasons mentioned. if he is even put on the bracket i will purchase "something" from the Lentorium...and if he WINS i will get a set of mugs...

  2. And don't give me any Jive about how you can't because I ain't buying it.

  3. How about Thurgood Marshall? I know we celebrate him -- not positive he is considered an official saint - although he certainly should be. He did a lot of brave and intelligent things in the name of inclusion and justice.

    1. Brigid of Kildare,
      Patron of Generous Hospitality!:

      I should like a great lake of beer to give to God.
      I should like the angels of Heaven to be tippling there for all eternity.
      I should like the men of Heaven to live with me, to dance and sing.
      If they wanted I’d put at their disposal vats of suffering
      White cups of love I’d give them with a heart and a half.
      Sweet pitchers of mercy I’d offer to every man.
      I’d make heaven a cheerful spot,
      Because the happy heart is true.
      I’d make men happy for their own sakes.
      I should like Jesus to be there too.
      I’d like the people of heaven to gather from all the parishes around.
      I’d give a special welcome to the women,
      the three Marys of great renown.
      I’d sit with the men, the women of God,
      There by the great lake of beer
      We’d be drinking good health forever,
      And every drop would be a prayer.

      1. Just replace "beer" with wine and you've got my vote too. St. Brigid all the way

  4. Julian of Norwich is very popular. Why don't you give her another chance?

    1. I second Lucy. Any saint that provokes the tradition of girls wearing real lit candles on their head should definitely be in the running.

  5. St. Scholastica
    St. Seraphim of Sazov
    Venerable Bede
    Ambrose
    Sojourner Truth

  6. Richard of Chichester. Fascinating life, reformer. The other Richard of Henry VIII era would make a fascinating crosspairing on the ladder.

  7. Venerable Bede -- and the fact that I am a member of St. Bede's in West LA has nothing to do with it.

  8. I n0minate:

    Michael Ramsey
    Lev Gillet
    Maria Skobtsova
    Alexander Men
    Christian de Cherge
    Elisabeth Behr-Sigel
    Sergius Bulgakov
    Br. Roger of Taize
    Fred Rogers
    Seraphim of Sarov
    Basil the Blessed
    John of Kronstadt
    Olivier Clement

  9. Saint Martin of Tours. (Not only for his history, but also to honor the wonderful people of St. Martin's Episcopal Church in New Bedford, MA. Love you all, and miss you greatly.)

  10. Thomas Ken
    George Augustus Selwyn
    Mikael Agricola
    and when will Perpetua be eligible again?

  11. I'd like to nominate the two saints from the Orthodox churches:
    St. Philopater Mercurius.
    St. Demiana and her 40 virgins (a whole team!).
    These are two of my favorite saints, and not many people have heard of them.

  12. I nominate Corrie TenBoom. She was instrumental in saving Jews during the Holocaust. She lived in The Netherlands, I believe. It's been a long time since I learned about her in Jr High but her courage and faith has made a lasting impression on me. The book The Hiding Place tells of her endeavors to save as many Jews as possible.

    1. As far as I know, Corrie is not on any church calendar (which makes her ineligible for Lent Madness). But if she were in the Bracket I would vote for her in a flash! She has always been a hero of mine.

    2. I second Corie Ten Boom - calendar scmalendar - since when does that matter to the SEC! They can do as they please! PLEASE!!!!

  13. Your Excellencies,
    I respectfully suggest that it would be fun to have a contest between the two new papal saints, John Paul II and John XXIII.
    Your humble servant,
    Rhee

    1. Rhee stole my thunder, but I second or third or whatever it is by now John Paul II and John XXIII.

      1. Make that fourth (at least) for John XXIII--his shaking-up of the Roman Catholic church led, I am sure, to the re-reformation of other mainline churches, the Episcopal Church included. (I have this sneaky thought that the House of Bishops or General Convention just couldn't let our Roman brothers and sisters be more progressive than we.)

  14. Nominations:

    Blandina and the Martyrs of Lyon
    The Venerable Bede (great idea, folks - hadn't thought of him!)
    Hugh of Lincoln
    Julian of Norwich
    Francis of Assisi

    Thanks for asking!