Whew! Well, that was quite a start to Lent Madness 2018. The epic battle between Peter and Paul did not disappoint. In very heavy and heart-thumpingly close voting, Peter edged Paul 51% to 49% with nearly 9,500 votes cast and will face the winner of Phoebe vs. John the Evangelist in the Round of the Saintly Sixteen.
Today Margaret of Scotland takes on Charles I in a Battle Royale. No, literally, it's a battle between royals -- queen vs. king. But please don't refer to this as regicide. Charles is a bit touchy on that subject.
Looking ahead, tomorrow will be the one and only matchup of Lent Madness that takes place on a Saturday. Every other pairing will take place on the weekdays of Lent. So don't forget to set your alarm, make your coffee, and then vote as Genesius takes on Quiteria.
But first, a reminder about our one-vote-per-person rule. Last night at 7:58 pm Eastern time, the SEC removed 254 votes from Paul. We found that someone in Little Rock, Arkansas, had voted for Paul repeatedly (we can verify that it was not Bill Clinton). This person was cast into the outer darkness of Lent Madness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. We do appreciate saintly passion. But we ask that everyone respect the integrity of this little competition. We do keep an eye on voting irregularities. Think Big Brother -- only more purple.
Margaret of Scotland
Margaret of Scotland is the patron saint of that country. An English princess born in 1045 in exile in Hungary, Margaret was also known as Margaret of Wessex and the Pearl of Scotland, homages to both her social status and her lifelong ministry.
Princess Margaret was married to King Malcom III of Scotland, the same Malcolm immortalized by William Shakespeare in Macbeth. A deeply religious Christian, Margaret was a reformer and social justice crusader. She helped build and restore churches throughout Scotland, including Iona Monastery and the Abbey of Dunfermline, where a relic of the cross of Christ was housed and where she would eventually be buried.
Margaret endeavored to change the aged and dated ways of the clergy in Scotland, bringing that church on par with the religious practices conducted elsewhere in Christendom. For example, she believed that on the Lord’s Day, “We apply ourselves only to prayers.” She was also known to read the Bible to her illiterate spouse.
Margaret was a queen and the mother of kings, queens, a countess, and a bishop. Notwithstanding, of particular significance is that she can be considered the true patron saint of Lent Madness! As an observance of her faith, Margaret insisted that clergy start the Lenten season on Ash Wednesday.
She was a reformer beyond the church as well, establishing schools, orphanages, and hospitals throughout Scotland. Margaret and Malcolm were tireless in their efforts to improve the living conditions of the Scottish clans. Many churches are dedicated to Margaret, such as St. Margaret’s Chapel in Edinburgh Castle, founded by her son King David I in the twelfth century. Today the chapel is one of the oldest remaining buildings in Edinburgh.
Margaret died on November 16, 1093, in Edinburgh, three days after her husband and eldest son were killed in battle. Canonized in 1250, she is honored on
November 16.
Collect for Margaret of Scotland
O God, you called your servant Margaret to an earthly throne that she might advance your heavenly kingdom, and gave her zeal for your Church and love for your people: Mercifully grant that we who commemorate her this day may be fruitful in good works, and attain to the glorious crown of your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Charles I
Charles Stuart was born in November of 1600, the second son of Anne of Denmark and James IV of Scotland. When he was eighteen, his elder brother died, and Charles took his place in the royal succession. Charles I became the king of England upon his father’s death in March of 1625.
As king, Charles did not get along with Parliament. They wanted a Protestant queen to bear a Protestant heir; Charles didn’t listen. He married Henrietta Maria, a Roman Catholic French princess, in May, 1625.
Meanwhile, the Thirty Years’ War was raging across Europe, pitting Protestants against Catholics, so his subjects expected Charles to despise the Catholic countries out of patriotism. Charles fought Catholic Spain but kept running out of money and raising taxes, which did not help national morale.
In 1633, Charles appointed William Laud as Archbishop of Canterbury. Together, they pushed for liturgical reforms, including many that are familiar practices to us today, such as adherence to the prayer book rubrics, use of vestments and candles, and the institution of the altar rail. To a large extent, Charles and Laud shaped Anglicanism in the way that we experience it today.
Yet his marriage, wars, and religious changes combined to create a toxic environment for King Charles. The English populace wondered if their king was Protestant or Catholic. Unrest grew. Charles’s refusal to convene Parliament for eleven years threw the country into civil war. Charles was captured in May, 1646. He was tried on charges of treason and other “high crimes” and was executed on January 30, 1649.
At his execution, one historian records that the crowd was overcome with grief and pushed forward to dip their handkerchiefs in his blood as relics. It was commonly thought that Charles was offered his life in exchange for abandoning the historic episcopate, yet he refused. Despite some failures as a monarch, he preserved the historic episcopate in Anglicanism, and ironically, may have enabled the Church to survive the English Civil War.
Collect for Charles I
Blessed Lord, in whose sight the death of thy saints is precious; We magnify thy Name for thine abundant grace bestowed upon our martyred Sovereign; by which he was enabled so cheerfully to follow the steps of his blessed Master and Saviour, in a constant meek suffering of all barbarous indignities, and at last resisting unto blood; and even then, according to the same pattern, praying for his murderers. Let his memory, O Lord, be ever blessed among us; that we may follow the example of his courage and constancy, his meekness and patience, and great charity...And all for Jesus Christ his sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
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342 comments on “Margaret of Scotland vs. Charles I”
My beloved twin was named for St. Margaret...and I lived and studied in Edinburgh for a few months, so this is a no-brainer for me. Charles's bad luck continues into Lent Madness.
St. Margaret was the name of our young women's guild in the 1970s and 1980s. Such an example to follow for us as young women interested in serving our parish. Unfortunately we have moved on to other parishes, out of the area, other worship styles and lost contact with each other. I hope somebody from San Diego reads this and contacts me. We were a close group of mothers, wives, singles.
Not much of a contest here. I'm not even sure why Charles was canonized. Another one for Margaret.
Margaret! Quite taken aback to even see Charles I in the bracket!
Sitting in the chapel in Edinburg is a special moment.
Maggie has my vote today!
Now if you had paired Peter against Margaret there might have been a contest. Of course that would leave Paul paired with Charles and what a disaster that would have been. Go Margaret!
While Maggie was kind Charles defended the faith.
My daughter was born in a St. Margaret Hospital! She has my vote hands down!
Thank you, Neva Ray and Megan, for your presentation of Margaret and Charles I. I voted for Margaret, but it was not easy. Charles was faithful in so many ways. But, not convening parliament for eleven years? And, how, exactly did the altar rail come into play? So much more to learn.
Go Margaret!
https://youtu.be/pwiztVCnjY0
"Cake versus death." Most of us are voting for cake.
Hahaha! It's a hoot!
Although I could understand and appreciate Charles’ sacrifice I believe our patron saint, Margaret of Scotland is more deserving.
Two thoughts:
Who the heck tries to steal a vote on saints?
And, PLEASE -- Charles I was no Anglican martyr. He was a rigid autocrat who refused to accept limits on his powers. His death was unnecessary and tragic, but in no way a martyrdom.
Charles knew that his powers had limits; the trouble is that Parliament didn't accept any limits on theirs and tried to limit his traditional and constitutional authority even further.
He is a martyr because he was given the choice to keep his life and his throne if he abolished the episcopate and the sacraments. He refused, and died for his faith.
However one interprets the history, and whatever the provenance of the tale that is used to justify Charles being a martyr, he died for his crimes and not his faith (presuming a genuine Christian faith). I certainly object (anachronistically, to be sure) to the mode of punishment as well as the abuses of Parliament and the Puritans, but in my view Charles (and Laud) were almost wholly in the wrong at the points where they clashed with Puritans on matters political and religious. Many of the worst aspects of contemporary Anglicanism stem from them as well.
Margaret is worthy of the Golden Halo!
Tracey Henley, I agree wholeheartedly!
I voted for Margaret. She accomplished so very much in her time in history. In my humble opinion, the actions of Charles were influenced more by politics than religious conviction. In my reading I did discover a new word, "Defenestration" meaning (Quoted from Wikipedia) "...Defenestration is the act of throwing someone or something out of a window.... The term was coined around the time of an incident in Prague Castle in the year 1618, which became the spark that started the Thirty Years' War..."
Thank you. Please do not include my last name "Waller" in the comment.
Technically Charles was canonized by an act of parliament, and is the only post reformation canonized saint within Anglicanism (though that status is not acknowledged throughout the communion).
Not the most sympathetic of saints, but he died a good death, shaped our mother church, and I knew that Lent Madness voters would have none of him, so mostly as an act of contrarianism I gave him my vote.
Go Wynne! I agree!
Yeah, that was a ‘Ginger Rogers’ she did it backwards and in heels.
Charles I is not a saint in the Anglican calendar. He is commemorated as a martyr. Despite his robust defence of the Church of England, and his personal piety, which was genuine, I would agree with those who maintain that Charles was a political rather than a religious martyr. In the context of Lent Madness 2018, the saintly Margaret is the obvious choice between the two.
I had no idea parliament had the authority to canonize someone. I thought such actions were always under the aegis of the church itself. My suspicion is that church and state were somewhat more mingled then and the mix of politics and religion was customary. I like your dry wit: "that status is not acknowledged throughout the communion." I should think not. I'm going to guess that not everyone dipping their handkerchief in his blood was doing so out of piety.
I am perfectly content for people to conflate Charles 1 with Bonnie Prince Charlie. If Charles makes it to Round 3, expect much Outlander swag.
How many Churches are named Charles the First of England? We do have a St. Margaret of Scotland though. She has a school attached too.
Not a difficult choice at all. Apologies to friends in the SKCM, but I just don't see how His Majesty measures up in this contest.
Margaret worked tirelessly. She was a woman, and a woman with power could have suffered a great deal for that. She has a beautiful chapel in Edinburgh which I went to this past summer. Her tirelessness,her fight for helping the poor. And her deep spirituality win my vote for heroic virtue.
Gotta vote for my Granny St. Margaret!!
Margaret, definitely. She was prolific in her good deeds. And she died exactly 863 years before I was born.
Wow! I had to read both a couple times before thoughtfully voting. Very surprised at the Cote stead!
Perhaps the Russians are trying to influence the outcome....
Charles I is not a saint. He is commemorated in the Anglican Calendar as a martyr. Despite Charles' robust defence of the Church of England, and his personal piety, which was profound, I voted for the saintly Margaret, whose sainthood is indisputable.
I am always a supporter of the less fortunate." Charles I, King and Martyr" need I say more.
As a fellow Scot, I’m for Margaret all the way. I love her! Poor Charles, drama drama drama!
Margaret had such an important place in the Christian world. Sorry Charley
My late father venerated Charles I almost as much as he enjoyed Lent Madness. (Really!) While I try to honor Dad a lot of the time, Margaret's concern for Iona, education, & reading aloud honor him, too. All the best, Dad, even though I didn't pick your fave.
Well, that seemed rather easy choice for many of us. After yesterday's difficult one it is good.
I voted for Charles because I wanted to.
Charles you tried, but got put up against the wrong Saintess!
All of us who count Margaret in our family trees should throw a party if/when she wins. Go Granny go!