"Wait, St. Swithun was a real person?" We get that a lot. "Wait, Molly Brant was a real person?" We never get that. Nonetheless, welcome to the first and only Saturday match-up of Lent Madness 2015. Go ahead, sleep late and dally over your coffee while you read about these two saintly souls. But don't get used to it: after today's battle, voting will return bright and early on Monday morning with Hadewijch facing off against Juan Diego.
In yesterday's action, David Oakerhater stunned Teresa of Avila in the first major upset of the season. In heavy voting (another day, another record total), David scored 60% of the vote to Teresa's 40% and will go on to face the winner of William Laud vs. King Kamehameha in the Saintly Sixteen.
Yes, folks, it's called Lent Madness for a reason. If your bracket is busted, you're not alone. But stick around -- the real goal is to learn about some amazing people, not to "win" Lent. Of course if you do stand victorious at the end of the season, you have every right to gloat. In a loving, Christian kind of way, of course.
As long as you're enjoying a leisurely morning, why not listen to Tim chatting about all things Lent Madness from yesterday's edition of Boston Public Radio? Click here and then scroll to 1:28 of the broadcast to catch the only segment that really matters.
Swithun
Saint Swithun, often humorously referenced as the patron of the generic country church “in the field” or "in the swamp," was an actual Anglo-Saxon bishop and was enshrined at Winchester Cathedral. He is revered for posthumous miracle working and is believed to hold sway over the weather, especially the rain. According to tradition, the weather on his feast day of July 15 continues for forty days. And Californians, take note: Saint Swithun can also be prayed to for the relief of drought.
Swithun was a pious Bishop of Winchester in the ninth century. He convinced King Æthelwulf to bequeath a tenth of his royal lands to the Church, and with those lands Swithun built and restored churches with noted zeal. The king relied on the revered bishop for spiritual counsel, while another bishop advised him on temporal matters. Swithun was known as a friend of the poor who traveled his diocese on foot. A single miracle was attributed to the bishop while he was alive. Workmen were said to have maliciously broken an old woman’s eggs. He picked them up, and they were miraculously restored.
Very little else of his life was recorded, and the history of his bodily remains was most notable to his sainthood. He died on July 2, 862. On his deathbed the bishop was said to have begged to be buried outside where people might pass over his grave and raindrops fall upon it. Consequently, British lore holds that Saint Swithun’s day foretells the weather.
July, it will rain for 40 days.
For forty days it will remain:
St. Swithun’s day if thou be fair:
For forty days ‘twill rain nae mare.
More than a hundred years after his death, Swithun was made patron of Winchester Cathedral. His body was transferred from its earthen grave to Æthelwold’s new cathedral, and the move was accompanied by many reported miracles. Subsequently, his body was divided among a number of smaller shrines. His head was taken to Canterbury Cathedral, while Peterborough Abbey came to be in possession of one arm. The Winchester shrine to Swithun was demolished in 1538 during the English Reformation, but a modern representation of it was rebuilt in the cathedral, so one can still visit with pleas for rain and egg repair.
Collect for Swithun
Almighty God, by whose grace we celebrate again the feast of your servant Swithun: grant that, as he governed with gentleness the people committed to his care, so we, rejoicing in our Christian inheritance, may always seek to build up your Church in unity and love; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Molly Brant (Konwatsijayenni “Someone Lends Her a Flower”)
Molly Brant was born in 1736 along the Mohawk River in present-day central New York. In an age when women, much less Native American women, rarely had a voice in public discourse, Molly Brant became a well-regarded Mohawk leader, helping to promote peaceful relations between the Iroquois nation and the British government during the Revolutionary War era. A dedicated Anglican, she came to be known by the Church as the “Witness to the Faith Among the Mohawks.”
Raised in the Ohio Territory, Molly Brant returned to her native village, where she quickly established herself as a leader among the Mohawk Nation. She sought to draw fellow Mohawks into the Anglican faith without dismissing their native culture and spirituality. Her work garnered the attention of Sir William Johnson, a widower and the superintendent of Northern Indian Affairs. She became his common-law wife, and together, they had nine children. As Johnson’s wife, Brant served as an influential and authoritative voice of the Iroquois people in dealing with the British and an essential factor in Johnson’s reception as superintendent among Native Americans. The respect and esteem the British held for Brant was not only unique during that era but it was also key to preserving peaceful relations between the two nations and cultures.
During the American Revolution, Brant remained loyal to Great Britain, providing lodging and food to British soldiers and uniting four of the six Iroquois nations as Loyalists. Two years into the war, she and her family were forced to flee to Onondaga, where she remained until the war’s end in order to avoid imprisonment by the Patriots. Despite her forced relocation, Brant continued to work for harmony among the Iroquois people and their European neighbors. Her deft leadership led one commander of the British military to declare that Brant was “far superior to that of all their chiefs put together.”
Upon the surrender of the British in Yorktown, Virginia, in 1783, Brant moved with her family to Cataraqui in Canada’s province of Ontario, where she served as a founding member of both the town of Kingston and its first Anglican church. She remained near Kingston until her death in 1796.
Collect for Molly Brant
Maker and lover of all creation, you endued Molly Brant with the gifts of justice and loyalty, and made her a wise and prudent clan mother in the household of the Mohawk nation: Draw us also toward the goal of our faith, that we may at last attain the full dignity of our nature in our true native land, where with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Vote!
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279 comments on “Swithun vs. Molly Brant”
I agree that the native people of this continent might have been better under British rule, but I voted for Swithin because he could mend broken eggs! As a keeper of chickens and the mother of children who failed just this morning at the egg challenge (cushion an egg in padding and a cup, then drop it to see if it won't break), I am amused by Swithin.
My mother's family were loyalists who received land in New Brunswick.......their farms taught us city kids about haying with horse drawn wagon, gathering eggs , bringing in the cows, fetching water from a spring ......happy memories. Also, I live in Onondaga County, home of the Onondaga Nation......have known the history of Molly Brant and her work among the Iroquois. Guess she is a "local gal" to me, so my vote goes to our Molly Brant!
The real hair shirts and sackcloth of Lent is these terrible choices forced upon us by the Lent Madness crew! Aethelwald and Swithin are pals of mine from studying way too much British lit in college, but I have to go with Molly Brant for her respect of the Native traditions in her mission work.
Californians, we need the rain! Vote for Swithun!
Here in Forks, WA, we have an Episcopal Mission named for Saint Swithin, the only Saint Swithin's congregation in the US. We are rallying the residents of our little rainy town to vote for Swithin and check out Lent Madnness.
I almost voted for Molly because woman, peacemaker - and her care for native traditions while bringing Christianity to her people. However, I have long admired Swithun for his gentle nature, his piety, and his lack of pomposity. So while we should all follow Molly's model and strive for peace (despite her backing the wrong side), I personally need to more closely follow the example of Swithun, and have cast my vote for him.
After coasting to victory on Thursday with Brendan, it appears that today - as yesterday - I will taste the bitter dregs of defeat. Ah, me.
Am I seeing a trend? More recent saints preferred over older ones. St. Teresa surely is a major person in Christian history. Do people not know her? Have people not read her works?
Yes Tom- Saint Teresa is SO major that she is also a Doctor of the Church. Her writings did much to develop our understanding of the faith. I suspect that many voters are not aware of her relevance.
I vote for Saint Swithun! I enjoyed reading about his humble wish to be buried where people & raindrops would fall upon his grave. He fixed broken eggs & swayed the weather. However, I admired his ability to fix churches the most! Here's a blurb from
"The Golden Legend, a medieval book of saints' stories"
And if any church fell down, or was in decay, S. Swithin would anon amend it at his own cost. Or if any church were not hallowed, he would go thither afoot and hallow it. For he loved no pride, ne to ride on gay horses, ne to be praised ne flattered of the people...
Spelling: in the 10th century, or in the 18th for that matter, English did not have official spellings. You can spell Swithun/Swithin however you like, you can't be wrong if the reader interprets to sound ok. 'Correct' spelling is probably a French/Latin thing invented by school masters. Doesn't solve the 'vote for the more recent so more real saint', so I break my string today and support poor Swithun. May it help CA, and also perhaps diminish the downpours in Swithin's home country.
St. Swithun (Swithin) for me. As a clergy who can't drive due to a visual problem, I am very touched by his traveling around his territory on foot as I used to do when visiting my shut-ins. Also, my father's home town was Winchester, VA. Also, I come from a long line of American patriots, some of them pacifists.
I have relatives who were Tories and fled to Nova Scotia during the Revolutionary War. There are other relatives who fought on the side of the Americans. Many who stayed here, even after the war, were NOT so sure about breaking away from England. However, we are no allies of the British! And we are allies of Canada as well ..... And as far as slavery, slavery was not abolished even in England until 1807! We were much later (1865). The first slaves were brought to this country in 1620. Washington and Jefferson were slaveholders -- although both renounced the institution before they died! Washington indeed technically freed his slaves per Martha's wishes before she died, but invited them to stay at Mount Vernon as they would be safer there (they were always in danger of being made slaves again if they moved about the countryside)! Patrick Henry was a slaveholder! And many other Patriots as well. Fractured history can be amusing, but we need to keep things in perspective. We just plain should not judge Molly Brant or anyone else from that era by modern standards. I voted for Molly Brant as a native American who worked for peace in the Iroquois Nation, something that was an exceedingly difficult task.
That should be "now allies of the British"! Sorry for the typo!
I appreciate your response on these points, Phil. Fair enough, but I wouldn't vote for Washington, Jefferson, or Patrick Henry for Lent Madness either.
I agree that the question of whether it is fair to judge people using the standards of our time is a very important one. But it is crucial to remember the saintly witness of people (including members of Native American tribes) who were critical of slavery at the time.
In fact, we can find prominent critics of slavery within European Christianity as early as 1515 (Bartolomé de las Casas would make an excellent Lent Madness candidate, incidentally).
Speaking as a resident of Northern California, Saint Swithun had my vote at "relief of drought."
I can't believe St. Theresa of Avila is out of the contest! She has been so important to me that there are very few who could top her, in my opinion.
Besides...when (not if) Teresa wins Lent Madness, then she'll be retired from the running. The longer she stays in the brackets, the more chances people get to learn about her!
OK, so that's reaching for a "bright side" to losing, but still... ?
My first Lent Madness. I am so loving this. I voted for...this descendent of the indigenous Tainos of Borinquen will keep it to myself.
Despite my name (which was originally spelled with a "y"), and over my husband's initial inclination, we have decided to vote for Swithin--again, a spelling preference. We've both spoken of "St. Swithin's in the Swamp" too many times in our careers!
So, how is it possible to vote more than once LEGALLY from the same location?? Love to know that technique to avoid having to arm-wrestle for the voting button!
Actually, Mollie is the spelling used in the calendar! (Unless it's different down there: actually, before now I never knew ECUSA commemorates her too - from the comments, it sounds like many wish it didn't!)
Clearing your browser history or using a different browser might work in cases of two people sharing one computer. Just don't vote 300 times . . .
This selection proved difficult for me. Swithin was a kindly bishop, and I enjoyed visiting Winchester long ago. But my inner Tory leaned toward Molly because she accepted the reversals of life without comproming her faith.
St Swithin send us some rain here in California. You seem like a nice guy. Mollly Brant what a peace maker you are. Got to go with the lady today.
Had to vote for Swithin, and our mission church in Forks, WA! Go St Swithin!
Between her own tribe
and the outsiders' new Way,
Molly was a bridge.
I am going English this time. Molly seems to be doing fine without me.
I really wanted to vote for Molly, but as a keeper of chickens I have broken enough eggs that I want to stay on Swithin's good side.
I love the fact we've already seen 2 Native Americans. My vote goes to Molly today.
I voted for Molly. Don't know why. St Swithun just seemed too much of leaning on other money and too little facts about him to justify even his St.hood. Mending a broken egg is nice, but what did he do as the miraculous to justify his sainthood.
Can't bring politics into it: my Cherokee relatives fought for the British because the pushy white settlers were usurping their land. My other relatives were the pushy white settlers. I voted for Molly because anyone who had nine children and had time and strength to do anything else at all had to have been a saint.
Ruby is correct in noting the women were often the leaders of the Iroquois nations. They continued to jockey for existence between the competing Europeans well into the 19th century. Even today the US officially sanctions the Iroquois Nation as a separate country in international Lacrosse competition. Now living in CA doesn't mean I can wish the end of drought by means of the winter blizzards that are crippling the Northeast.
My vote goes to Swithin even thought Molly's life and work was likely more difficult and complicated.....remarkable even, but that Swithin walked barefoot and wanted to be buried in the earth where the rain could fall on him is too great of an image. Too bad they dismembered his body to spread it around here and there, but I imagine with his kind spirit he'll get over it.
That part about wanting to be buried in the earth where the rain could fall on him *almost* swayed my vote. It is a powerful sentiment and metaphor, and I too was saddened to read that he was dug up, cut up and distributed to as a relic.
Judy B
Oddly enough, I have unwittingly sided with the minority in each "installment."
Categorical disagreement? Or, is it just the Englush Missal Anglocatholic in me?
What does it mean: "your comment is waiting moderation" after posting a comment What moderation?
Pat, maybe your spelling is just being corrected 🙂 ?
That is a real possibility since I couldn't find a ' spell check' option and I had to scroll back to check Swithin but unfortunately I scrolled back to someone else who got it wrong.....so it is Swithun, not Swithin....I probably should have voted for Molly. : )
It can be spelled either way. English was not standardized back then.
Molly reminds me of Flora MacDonald, who chose the loosing side - not once but twice:-).
Flora also had a lot of children, but had time to rescue Bonnie Prince Charlie and later side with the Loyalist Clans in the South.
The first time you vote, the admin has to approve it. After that, you won't see that message any longer.
Lucy; As I commented yesterday, the LM crowd does tent to favor the 'underdog' Saints. I favored/voted for Teresa as I took her as my Confirmation Saint's name. Oh well, I'm sure Teresa is taking the loss in good stride.
It means that it is awaiting approval by Scott or Tim before it will appear. Some bloggers moderate all comments (due to trolls), some moderate comments from first time/newer/infrequent comment-makers, and some are brave and do not moderate any comments (and those are the ones where I rarely read any comments).
Pat, I believe they check the posts to ensure there's no vulgarity or other inappropriate language; just a guess.
St. Swithun take note that I'm voting for you here in southern Oregon. Please end our drought too. Go ahead and send rain to California also. (Note how charitable a native Oregonian can be!) I also know some small town, small churches that needs some fixing. Charles (and John) Wesley would also appreciate your help in this matter.
At first glance I thought St Swithun was competing with St Kateri Tekakwitha "Liliy of The Mohawks" b.1656 d, 1680, who was known for her virtue and chastity. I voted for the Bishop Swithun. I had trouble voting for a Loyalist who had 9 children without the sacrament of marriage.
On the last point, that would not have been her choice.