St. Edward the Confessor
Born: 1003
Died: January 5, 1066
Canonized: 1161, by Pope Alexander III
Feast Day: October 13
Patron Saint of: difficult marriages
Edward was born in 1003 and died on the 5th of January in 1066. His parents were Ethelred II and Emma, daughter of Duke Richard of Normandy. At the age of 10, he and his brother Alfred were sent to Normandy to be raised in exile while the throne was ruled by the Danish. There he became devoted to the Mass and service to the offices of the Church. After a failed attempt to regain the throne which resulted in the death of his brother Alfred, Edward later regained the throne on Easter Sunday, the 3rd of April, 1042.
As King, Edward started no wars and went into battle only to defend against the invading Welsh and to assist Malcolm III of Scotland in his battle against Macbeth. Edward's desire was for the just treatment of the people, and was true to that desire with the elimination of unfair taxes. For the sake of the people and kingdom, he yielded and took a wife, Editha, the daughter of Earl Godwin. Having previously taken a vow of chastity, he and Editha remained celibate. Edward built many churches, including Westminster Abbey. Edward was known to have had the power of a healing touch.
