ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS OCTOBER 13, St. Edward the Confessor, St. Agilbert, St. Colman of Stockerau, St. Comgan, St. Fyncana

 ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS OCTOBER 13 

St. Edward the Confessor. Edward the Confessor was the son of King Ethelred III and his Norman wife, Emma, daughter of Duke Richard I of Normandy. He was born at Islip, England, and sent to Normandy with his mother in the year 1013 when the Danes under Sweyn and his son Canute invaded England. Canute remained in England and the year after Ethelred's death in 1016, married Emma, who had returned to England, and became King of England. Edward remained in Normandy, was brought up a Norman, and in 1042, on the death of his half brother, Hardicanute, son of Canute and Emma, and largely through the support of the powerful Earl Godwin, he was acclaimed king of England. In 1044, he married Godwin's daughter Edith. His reign was a peaceful one characterized by his good rule and remission of odious taxes, but also by the struggle, partly caused by his natural inclination to favor the Normans, between Godwin and his Saxon supporters and the Norman barons, including Robert of Jumieges, whom Edward had brought with him when he returned to England and whom he named Archbishop of Canterbury in 1051. 

St. Agilbert. Agilbert was a Frank (bishop) who had studied under abbot Ado at Jouarre monastery in Ireland. He was invited by King Coenwalh of the West Saxons to remain in Wessex as bishop. He was active in missionary activities, ordained St. Wilfrid, and with him was a leader among those seeking to replace the Celtic customs with Roman at the synod of Whitby. He resigned his See when Coenwalh divided his diocese. He returned to France, where he became bishop of Paris in 668. Coenwalh later invited him back but he refused and sent his nephew Eleutherius in his place. 

St. Colman of Stockerau, 1012 A.D.  An Irish or Scottish pilgrim who was martyred in Austria while on the way to the Holy Land. Tortured and hanged as a spy, he edified everyone with his courage. His body remained preserved, and miracles were reported at his grave. The Austrians realized that Colman was a holy man, put to death by mistake. He became a patron saint of Austria.  

St. Comgan, 8th century A.D. Abbot and founder. He was the son of a prince of Leinster, Ireland, and the brother of St. Kentigern. Wounded by neighboring chieftains in a battle, Comgan fled with his sister and her children to Scotland. He settled in Lochaise, near Skye. There he built a monastery. He was buried on Iona.  

St. Fyncana. Martyr with St. Fyndoca. They are all recorded in the Aberdeen Breviary, but no details of their life exist.