Episode Details

A meditation for the Feast of St. Edward the Confessor, last Anglo-Saxon king of England, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”, Volume V of the Time after Pentecost.St. Edward the Confessor (c. 1003–1066), King of England, was renowned for his deep piety, humility, charity toward the poor, and devotion to the Church. The son of King Ethelred II, he spent many years in exile in Normandy during the Danish occupation of England before returning to his homeland and ascending the throne in 1042. Although a king, Edward preferred peace to warfare and sought to govern with justice and mercy, earning the affection of his subjects and a reputation for holiness. He generously supported monasteries and churches, most notably founding Westminster Abbey, where he was later buried. His reign was remembered as a time of relative peace and prosperity, and his personal holiness was said to have been accompanied by miraculous favors. Canonized by Pope Alexander III in 1161, St. Edward became one of England's most beloved royal saints and was venerated as a model of the Christian ruler who places the service of God above worldly power.Dom Prosper Guéranger's The Liturgical Year, a monumental fifteen-volume work, offers a comprehensive exploration of the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar, guiding readers through the spiritual and historical richness of the Church’s worship. Written in the 19th century, the series provides daily meditations, historical context, and liturgical texts for the Mass and Divine Office, covering the entire cycle of seasons—Advent, Christmas, Lent, Passiontide, Easter, and the Time after Pentecost—as well as feast days of saints. Guéranger’s work, rooted in a deep contemplative spirit, aims to immerse the faithful in the Church’s prayerful life, emphasizing the unity of faith through the axiom lex orandi, lex credendi ("the law of prayer is the law of belief"), and remains a cherished resource for Catholics seeking to deepen their spiritual lives. Dom Prosper Guéranger (1805–1875) was a French Benedictine monk, liturgical scholar, and founder of the Solesmes Abbey, renowned for his pivotal role in reviving the Benedictine Order in France and restoring the Roman liturgy after the disruptions of the French Revolution. Born in Sablé-sur-Sarthe, he entered the priesthood in 1827 and, inspired by a vision to restore monastic life, reestablished the Benedictine community at Solesmes in 1833, becoming its first abbot. A staunch defender of ultramontanism and traditional Catholic worship, he also championed the revival of Gregorian chant, significantly influencing the liturgical renewal movement.Link to the Dom Guéranger's Liturgical Year playlist (updated daily): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZKdyYnV_bkh7rH6piW0ShgsdcefFoOvJIf you would like to support this channel:  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/InprincipioPodcast PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U5EZ9X2CE2V7W Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/InPrincipioPodcast Zelle: inprincipiopodcast@gmail.com; or search for Zelle tag “inprincipiopodcast”  Checks may be written out to ‘InPrincipio Podcast’ and mailed to: P.O. Box 117 Cedar Ridge, CA 95924Sincere thanks to all who are able to contribute, by your prayers, your patronage, or otherwise. Your support sustains this work and helps make these readings available to others.Artwork: “The Wilton Diptych” by unknown 14th century artist, painted for King Richard II (r.1377-1399), featuring (from left to right) King St. Edmund the Martyr, King St. Edward the Confessor, St. John the Baptist, and King Richard II (kneeling), before the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus, surrounded by angels.