Category: Saints

The Loch Ness Monster

22/8/2019

It was in the year 565 that the first sighting of the legendary Loch Ness monster was recorded.

The story of the Loch Ness monster appears in the biography of St Columba written by Adamnan, an abbot of the monastery on Iona. The text refers to "aquatilis bestiae" or water beast. This account is one of the many tales of miracles performed by this 6th-century saint.

Adamnan's account has Columba looking for a way to cross the River Ness, he writes that Columba spotted a boat moored on the opposite bank and ordered his travelling companion to swim across the river to fetch it.

While waiting he notices a tribe of Picts burying a man they say had been attacked and killed by a huge 'water beast' whilst swimming river. Columba proceeds to raise the man from the dead by placing his cross on his chest. Shortly after performing this miracle Columba and the gathering crowd watch as the great water beast rises from the depths, attracted to the surface by the splashing of the aforementioned swimming monk. Columba, writes Adamnan, invokes the powers of the almighty and brandishing his trusty cross frightens monsters who quickly swims away. Astonished by what they have just witnessed the heathen Scottish tribe of Picts fall to their knees and are converted to Christianity on the spot and are baptised in the river before the last ripple, caused by the fleeing beast, has disappeared from the water.

I can imagine Nessie swimming from the River Ness into the Loch shouting the immortal words of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator "I'll be back!" and true to his word he was back nearly one thousand years later. The so-called Loch Ness Monster appears for the second time as part of the story of one Fraser of Glenvackie who is said to have slaughtered the last Scottish dragon. This story, written in 1520, states that the dragon was slain but it also states that the creature of Loch Ness had been 'lately seen.'

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Simeon and the Cradle Rocking Ceremony

3/2/2019

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On the nearest Sunday to Candlemas (2nd February) there is held in the Nottinghamshire village of Blidworth a Cradle Rocking Ceremony. This tradition has taken place in Blidworth since the 13th century and continues to this day - however it was banned during the Reformation but revived in 1923.

Before the ceremony begins an old wooden cradle, that has been decorated with ribbons and flowers is placed in front of the altar awaiting the arrival of the parishes most recently baptised baby boy.

The baby is placed within the cradle and all through the service, he is rocked gently by the vicar. At the end ceremony the baby is returned to its parents and the congregation sing 'Nunc Dimittis'

The story of this tradition has its roots in the Gospel of Luke - an event in the life of Simeon. Nunc Dimittis is a hymn that is also known as The Song of Simeon.

Simeon is said to have been a devout man unto who an angel appeared promising him that he would not die until he had seen the new Messiah. Sometime later, Mary and Joseph arrived at the Temple in Jerusalem bringing with them their baby for the ceremony of consecration of the firstborn son, which you will know is Candlemas. It was into Simeons arms the baby Jesus was placed.

The time frame in which these events occurred is not specified and therefore I don't know how old Simeon was when the Holy Spirit arrived, or how long after holding the baby Jesus Simeon died.

However, as previously stated this story appears in the Gospel according to Luke, and Simeon is stated to be one of the translators of the of the Greek Old Testament (c 2nd/3rd century BC) if this is the case it would mean that Simeon would have been over two hundred years old at the time of the meeting the Messiah.

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St Aelfheath

19/4/2018

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Sometimes when you read about events in history you have to wonder whether the tale that is told is true or has to be taken with a pinch of salt. The story of the martyrdom of Aelfheah, the 11th-century Archbishop of Canterbury and the link with the murder of Thomas Becket is one of them.

In 1170 Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury was murdered as he prayed before the alter Canterbury Cathedral. The story goes that it was to St Aelfheah that his prayer was directed before he was hacked to death by four rebellious knights. For this to be true Becket had to be praying aloud, and maybe he was, but it's a bit too much of a coincidence for me - you see Aelfheah was murdered in the exact same way as poor Becket just 158 years before by a band of marauding Vikings.

Like Becket, Aelfheah is considered a saint and a martyr, he is usually portrayed in art with an axe. The images we see of Becket's death and Aelfheah's are similar, both are in prayer and behind them are their armed murders ready to pounce.

We all know Thomas Becket's story, but what was Aelfheah's?

Aelfheah was a West Country hermit and later a monk who was Prior at Glastonbury Abbey - he liked to build new churches and liked music, when played a church organ he commissioned could be heard over a mile away. He became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1006 - strangely, he had arrived at his new position with the head of St Swithun neatly packed in his bag! - What's that all about?

Aelfheah had been Archbishop in Canterbury for five years when in 1011 the Vikings arrived, they ransacked the town, took Aelfeah prisoner and demanded money with menaces. Aelfeah was held captive for seven months. Despite the willingness of the people of Canterbury to dig deep into the pockets to pay the ransom Aelfheah, in true martyr fashion, told them to keep it. On the 19th April in 1012 Aelfheah was bashed over the head by an axe-wielding Norseman and according to a chronicler of the time
 ‘his holy blood fell on the ground and his holy soul was sent forth to God’s kingdom’.

Aelfheah's body was originally buried in the church of St Pauls in London but in 1023 reinterred in Canterbury to rest along side St Swithun's head.

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George and the Dragon

22/4/2016

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London's Boundary Markers

This first image is of a wonderful silver dragon that can be found at Leadenhall Market in London and has, on its wing, a red cross.

The cross and the dragon are symbols of St George patron saint of England, they form part of the heraldic symbols of the City of London and can be found around the square mile of St Paul's Cathedral and the Bank of England.

Along with the lion and the unicorn, which also can be found on many of London's public buildings, the dragon features quite prominently in our capital, being used as boundary markers and are a wonderful reminder of London's long history.

Some of the dragons are seated, because of where it is situated, but the actual boundary markers usually stand on their two rear legs, with the right foreleg raised and the left foreleg holding a shield which bears the City of London's coat of arms, painted in red and white. The dragon design is based on two large dragon sculptures which were mounted above the entrance to the Coal Exchange and designed by J. B. Bunning and made in 1849 in Dewer's London foundry. When the Coal Exchange was demolished in the mid 1960's the original statues were re erected on six foot high plinths at the western boundary of the city. In 1964 the Corporation of London's Streets Committee used the statues as the model for boundary markers.

London's Street Committee did have a choice of dragons for the design of the markers, choosing, as I have just said, Bunning's design over the other dragon at Temple Bar on Fleet Street, by architect C B Birch which was considered too fierce.

They are probably right, have a look at this final image.

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The Martyrdom of St Edmund

1/11/2015

It has been written that the Saxon king Edmund the Martyr died on the 20th November in 869/70 tied to a tree, flogged and then used for target practice by archers until he was

“all covered with their missiles as with bristles of a hedgehog.”

Edmund was born around 840 and is thought to have been descended from our country's early kings, but according to
later legends he was born at Nuremberg, the son of King Alcmund of Saxony. He was said to have been fair haired, tall, well built and a 'natural majesty of bearing."

In 855, aged fifteen when he was crowned king, he was said to have shown great promise. As a peacemaker he was interested in justice, and in the world of war he saw off two small Danish invasions headed by Ivar and Ubba, who according to one Abbo were the

"devil's right hand men."

The Danish invaders returned in 870 with a much bigger force.

Edmunds piety, for which he was much respected, forced him to refuse their terms, he disbanded his troops and a fruitless massacre was avoided. Following this he left for Framlingham, but was captured and taken in chains to Ivar, whose demands Edmund again rejected. For this Ivar had him put to death.

According to Aelfric of Eynsham in the Passio Sancti Eadmundi, Kind Edmund.

"against whom Ivar advanced, stood inside his hall, and mindful of the Saviour, threw out his weapons. He wanted to match the example of Christ, who forbade Peter to win the cruel Jews with weapons. Lo! the impious one then bound Edmund and insulted him ignominiously, and beat him with rods, and afterwards led the devout king to a firm living tree, and tied him there with strong bonds, and beat him with whips. In between the whip lashes, Edmund called out with true belief in the Saviour Christ. Because of his belief, because he called to Christ to aid him, the heathens became furiously angry. They then shot spears at him, as if it was a game, until he was entirely covered with their missiles, like the bristles of a hedgehog (just like St. Sebastian was). When Ivar the impious pirate saw that the noble king would not forsake Christ, but with resolute faith called after Him, he ordered Edmund beheaded, and the heathens did so. While Edmund still called out to Christ, the heathen dragged the holy man to his death, and with one stroke struck off his head, and his soul journeyed happily to Christ."

The Anglo Saxon Chronicles suggest that Edmund was killed in battle fighting against the Great Heathen Army. However, later chroniclers preferred to show Edmund in an idealised light and this may be the reason Edmund's gruesome death is always associated with Ivar and Ubba, the pagan marauding sons of Ragnar Lothbrok. Chroniclers have a difference of opinion as to the relationship of these two men, some state that they are not related at all.

Which ever way Edmund the Saxon king met his death, he has gone down in history as an early Christian martyr.

Edmund is thought to have been buried first at Hoxne in Suffolk, his relics later removed to Beodricsworth, which is now
Bury St Edmund.

Edmund is the patron of a number of kings, pandemics, torture victims and wolves. He is celebrated on the 20th of November each year and represented in Christian art with a sword and arrow, the instruments of his torture.

The Loch Ness Monster

Simeon and the Cradle Rocking Ceremony

St Aelfheath

George and the Dragon

London's Boundary Markers

The Martyrdom of St Edmund

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Categories

The Loch Ness Monster

Simeon and the Cradle Rocking Ceremony

St Aelfheath

George and the Dragon

London's Boundary Markers ​

﻿The Martyrdom of St Edmund

Archives

Categories

London's Boundary Markers

The Martyrdom of St Edmund