1

ST. EDWARD THE MARTYR, KING OF ENGLAND In 1976, two Orthodox Christians of the Orthodox Parish of St. Michael the Archangel, G ildford, S rre!, "ngland #$ ssian Orthodox Ch rch A%road& 'ade contact with Mr. (. )ilson*Claridge, an a'ate r archaeologist and the owner of the wonder*wor+ing relics of Mart!r*,ing "dward of "ngland, who was +illed o-er a tho sand !ears ago, on March 1./01, 979. Mr. )ilson*Claridge was loo+ing for a worth! reli1 ar! for the relics of the +ing*'art!r, and was not satisfied %! the offers to ho se the' 'ade %! the Catholic and Anglican Ch rches. In res2onse to the offer of the Orthodox Christians to gi-e the "nglish Orthodox +ing a worth! resting*2lace, Mr )ilson*Claridge decided to gi-e his relics to the $ ssian Orthodox Ch rch A%road #$OCA&3 and on Se2te'%er 0/16, 19.4, the! were for'all! acce2ted on %ehalf of the $OCA %! 5isho2 Gregor! #Gra%%e& of )ashington and "astern A'erica, and 2laced in a %ea tif l reli1 ar! in the Orthodox Ch rch of St. "dward, 5roo+wood, near G ildford, S rre!, "ngland. It 'a! therefore %e of interest to $ ssian readers to learn of the life of this great saint of the Anglo*Saxon Orthodox Ch rch %efore the schis' %etween the "ast and )est, whose relics ha-e now %eco'e the 2ossession of the $ ssian Ch rch. 6he hol! Mart!r*,ing "dward was the son of ,ing "dgar the Peacea%le of "ngland and his first wife, 7 een "thelfleda, who died not long after his %irth in 960 or 964. Alread! %efore St. "dward8s %irth, his father had had a drea'. 9e told this to his 'other, the a%%ess St. "lgi-a, who was greatl! gifted for her gift of 2ro2hec! and wonder*wor+ing. She inter2reted the drea' as follows:* After !o r death the Ch rch of God will %e attac+ed. ;o will ha-e two sons. 6he s 22orters of the second will +ill the first, and while the second will r le on earth the first will r le in hea-en. <ow ,ing "dgar had %een anointed twice on the 'odel of ,ing =a-id: first in 96> or 961, when he %eca'e ,ing of "ngland, and again in 970, when his do'inion ex2anded to the north and west and he %eca'e ?"'2eror of 5ritain@, recei-ing the tri% te of eight s %*+ings of the Celts and Ai+ings. 5 t %etween these two anointings he had 'arried again and fathered a second son, "thelred. )hen ,ing "dgar died in 97B #his relics were disco-ered to %e incorr 2t in 1>BC&, "thelred8s 2artisans, es2eciall! his 'other, arg ed that "thelred sho ld %e 'ade +ing in 2reference to his elder half*%rother "dward, on the gro nds that "dgar had not %een anointed when he %egat "dward in 9B9 or 96>, and that his first wife, "dward8s 'other, had never %een anointed, so that the throne sho ld 2ass to the !o nger son, "thelred, who had %een %orn ?in the 2 r2le@ when %oth his 2arents were anointed so-ereigns. 6he conflict was settled when the arch%isho2 of Canter% r!, St. = nstan,

seiDed the initiati-e and anointed St. "dward. 9owe-er, the defeated 2art! of "thelred did not gi-e 2 their o22osition to God8s chosen oneE St. "dward, according to an earl! so rce, ?was a !o ng 'an of great de-otion and excellent cond ct. 9e was co'2letel! Orthodox, good and of hol! life. Moreo-er, he lo-ed a%o-e all things God and the Ch rch. 9e was genero s to the 2oor, a ha-en to the good, a cha'2ion of the Faith of Christ, a -essel f ll of e-er! -irt o s grace.@ 9owe-er, 'an! tro %les 'et the !o ng +ing on his accession to the +ingdo'. A great fa'ine was raging thro gh the land, and, %eginning in the )est and s2reading to the "ast, a -iolent attac+ was stirred 2 against the hol! 'onasteries %! a 2ro'inent no%le'an na'ed "lfhere. Man! of the 'onasteries which ,ing "dgar had esta%lished were destro!ed, and the 'on+s were forced to flee. 6h s according to a conte'2orar! 'onastic writer: ?6he whole +ingdo' was thrown into conf sion, the %isho2s were agitated, the no%le'en stirred 2, the 'on+s sha+en with fear, the 2eo2le terrified. 6he 'arried clerg! were glad, for their ti'e had co'e. A%%ots, with their 'on+s, were ex2elled, and 'arried clerg!, with their wi-es, were introd ced Gin their 2laceH.@ 6he root of the tro %le was that in the 2re-io s reign the white clerg! had %een ex2elled fro' the 'onasteries in which the! had %een li-ing nlawf ll!, had %een re2laced %! real 'on+s, and were now see+ing to %e re*esta%lished in their for'er 2lace. Also, the no%les co-eted the lands which ,ing "dgar had gi-en to the 'onasteries. Alread! in the 2re-io s reign there had %een a co ncil to disc ss this 1 estion, and when it was s ggested that the white clerg! %e restored to their 2lace, a -oice was heard fro' a cross on the wall: ?Far %e it fro' !o I ;o ha-e done well: to change again wo ld %e wrong.@ In s2ite of this, the 2ress re contin ed and er 2ted into -iolence at the %eginning of the reign of ,ing "dward. 9owe-er, ,ing "dward and Arch%isho2 = nstan stood fir' in a series of stor'! co ncils attended %! all the leading 'en of Ch rch and State. 6h s at one co ncil, which too+ 2lace at ,irtlington, Oxfordshire, after Pascha, 977, the tension was so great that the +ing8s t tor, a %isho2, died s ddenl! d ring the 2roceedings. 6hen, at another co ncil in Calne, )iltshire, when the white clerg! were renewing their co'2laints, St. = nstan said: ?Since in '! old age !o exert !o rsel-es to the stirring 2 of old 1 arrels, I confess that I ref se to gi-e in, % t co''it the ca se of 9is Ch rch to Christ the ( dge.@ As he s2o+e the ho se was s ddenl! sha+en3 the floor of the 22er roo' in which the! were asse'%led colla2sed, and the ene'ies of the Ch rch were thrown to the gro nd and cr shed %! the falling

ti'%er. Onl! the %ea' on which the arch%isho2 was sitting on a %ea' did not 'o-e. In all this t r'oil ,ing "dward stood fir' together with the arch%isho2 in defence of the Ch rch and the 'onasteries. For this reason so'e of the no%les decided to re'o-e hi' and re2lace hi' with his wea+er !o nger %rother. 6he! seiDed their o22ort nit! on March 1., 979. On that da! the +ing was o t h nting with dogs and horse'en near )areha' in =orset. 6 rning awa! fro' this 2 rs it, the +ing decided to -isit his !o ng %rother "thelred, who was %eing %ro ght 2 in the ho se of his 'other at Corfe Castle, near )areha'. 9e too+ a s'all retin e with hi', % t s ddenl!, as if 2la!ing a Jo+e on hi', his retin e %ro+e 2 and went off in all directions, lea-ing hi' to contin e on his wa! alone. )hen "thelred8s 'other, 7 een "theldritha, heard fro' her ser-ants that the !o ng +ing was a22roaching, she hid the e-il design in her heart and went o t to 'eet hi' in an o2en and friendl! 'anner, in-iting hi' into her ho se. 5 t he declined, sa!ing that he onl! wished to see his %rother and tal+ to hi'. 6he 1 een then s ggested that while he was waiting he sho ld ha-e a drin+. 6he +ing acce2ted. At that 'o'ent one of the 1 een8s 2art! went 2 to the +ing and ga-e hi' a +iss li+e ( das. For then, J st as the +ing was lifting the c 2 to his li2s, the 'an who had +issed hi' lea2t at hi' fro' the front and 2l nged a +nife in his %od!. 6he +ing sli22ed fro' the saddle of his horse and was dragged with one foot in the stirr 2 ntil he fell lifeless into a strea' at the %ase of the hill on which Corfe Castle stands. 6he 1 een then ordered that the hol! %od! %e seiDed and hidden in a h t near%!. In o%edience to her co''and, the ser-ants too+ the %od! %! the feet and threw it igno'inio sl! into the h t, concealing it with so'e 'ean co-erings. <ow there li-ed in that h t a wo'an %lind fro' %irth who' the 1 een sed to s 22ort o t of charit!. )hile she s2ent the night there alone with the hol! %od!, s ddenl!, in the 'iddle of the night, a wonderf l light a22eared and filled the whole h t. Str c+ with awe, the 2oor wo'an cried o t: ?Kord, ha-e 'erc!I@ At this, she s ddenl! recei-ed her sight, which she had so long desired. And then, re'o-ing the co-ering, she disco-ered the dead %od! of the hol! +ing. 6he 2resent ch rch of St. "dward at Corfe stands on the site of this 'iracle. 6he strea' into which the hol! +ing8s %od! first fell was fo nd to ha-e healing 2ro2erties. Man! 2ilgri's who washed their e!es in the

water reco-ered or i'2ro-ed their sight. 6hese incl de two re2orted cases in 'odern ti'es. At dawn the next da!, when the 1 een learned of the 'iracle, she was tro %led and decided to conceal the %od! in a different wa!. She ordered her ser-ants to ta+e it 2 and % r! it in a 'arsh! 2lace. At the sa'e ti'e she co''anded that no one sho ld grie-e o-er the +ing8s death, or e-en s2ea+ a%o t it. 6hen she retired to a 'anor in her 2ossession called 5ere, a%o t ten 'iles fro' Corfe. Meanwhile, s ch grief too+ hold of "thelred o-er his %rother8s death that he co ld not sto2 wee2ing. 6his angered his 'other, who too+ so'e candles and %eat hi' with the' -icio sl!, ho2ing there%! to ste' the flow of his tears. It is said that thereafter "thelred so hated candles that he wo ld ne-er allow the' to %e lit in his 2resence. )hen St. = nstan, arch%isho2 of Canter% r!, heard the news he was greatl! saddened %! the death of his %elo-ed s2irit al son, and at the coronation of his half*%rother, "thelred, at ,ingston he 2ro2hesied great sorrow for the "nglish 2eo2le in the co'ing reign. 6he 2ro2hec! was exactl! f lfilled after = nstan8s death in 9.., when the 2agan =anes in-aded "ngland and e-ent all!, in 1>16, after o-er twent! !ears of %lood! war, con1 ered the co ntr!. 6he conte'2orar! Anglo*Saxon Chronicle ex2ressed the ni-ersal horror felt %! the "nglish Orthodox 2eo2le at this ti'e: ?<o worse deed for the "nglish was e-er done than this, since first the! ca'e to the land of 5ritain. Men ' rdered hi', % t God exalted hi'3 in life he was an earthl! +ing, % t after death he is now a hea-enl! saint. 9is earthl! +ins'en wo ld not a-enge hi', !et his 9ea-enl! Father has a'2l! a-enged hi'. 6hose earthl! sla!ers wo ld ha-e destro!ed his 'e'or! 2on earth3 % t the 9ea-enl! A-enger has s2read his fa'e a%road, in the hea-ens and 2on the earth. 6hose who %efore wo ld not %ow in re-erence to his li-ing %od!, now h '%l! %end the +nee to his dead %ones. <ow can we 2ercei-e that the wisdo' of 'en, their deli%erations and their 2lots, are as nothing against God8s 2 r2ose.@ Al'ost a !ear 2assed, and it 2leased Al'ight! God to 'a+e +nown the hea-enl! glor! of the 'art!r*+ing. A 2illar of fire was seen o-er the 2lace where his %od! was hidden, lighting 2 the whole area. 6his was seen %! so'e de-o t inha%itants of )areha', who 'et together and raised the %od! fro' the 2lace where it la!. I''ediatel! a sweet, clear s2ring of healing water s2rang 2 in that 2lace. 6hen, acco'2anied %! a h ge crowd of 'o rners, the %od! was ta+en to the ch rch of the Most 9ol! Mother of God in )areha' and % ried at the east end of the ch rch. 6his first translation of the hol! relics too+ 2lace on Fe%r ar! 10, 9.>.

Meanwhile, the 1 een8s deceit and treacher! were 'ade +nown thro gho t the co ntr!, the fa'e of the innocent 'art!r*+ing increased, and 'an! signs and 'iracles testified to his holiness. 6he no%le'an "lfhere, dee2l! re2enting of his destr ction of 'onasteries and o22osition to the +ing, decided to ha-e the %od! translated to a worthier resting*2lace. 5isho2s and a%%ots were in-ited, together with A%%ess ) lfrida of )ilton and the n ns of )ilton 'onaster!, who incl ded St. "dith, the +ing*'art!r8s half* sister. A great n '%er of la!'en and wo'en of =orset also con-erged on )areha'. 6hen the hol! %od! was disinterred in the 2resence of the whole 2eo2le and was fo nd to %e co'2letel! incorr 2t. Seeing this, St. = nstan and the other %isho2s led the 2eo2le in h!'ns of 2raise to God, while St. "dith ran 2 to her %rother8s %od! and e'%raced it with tears of Jo! and sorrow co'%ined. 6hen the %od! was lifted onto a %ier and with a great 2rocession of clerg! and lait! was ta+en to Shaftes% r!, to the wo'en8s 'onaster! fo nded in the ninth cent r! %! St. "dward8s ancestor, ,ing Alfred the Great, in hono r of the Most 9ol! Mother of God. 6he 2rocession %egan on Fe%r ar! 10, 9.1 and arri-ed at Shaftes% r! se-en da!s later, on Fe%r ar! C>. 6here the hol! %od! was recei-ed with hono r %! the n ns and was % ried with great cere'on! on the north side of the altar. On the wa! fro' )areha' to Shaftes% r!, two 2oor 'en who were so %ent o-er and 2aral!Ded that the! co ld hardl! crawl on their hands and +nees were %ro ght close to the %ier. 6hose carr!ing it then lowered the sacred %od! down to their le-el, and i''ediatel! in the sight of all the! were restored to f ll health. A great sho t rose to the hea-ens, and all together glorified the hol! 'art!r. On hearing of the 'iracles wor+ed thro gh the saint, 7 een "theldritha was o-erco'e %! re'orse and decided to go to hi' to as+ forgi-eness. 5 t as she was riding to Shaftes% r! with her ser-ants, her horse s ddenl! sto22ed and ref sed to go f rther, nor wo ld he %e 'o-ed %! %lows of the whi2 and threats. 6hen the 1 een realiDed that she was held %ac+ %! the force of her sins. ( '2ing off the horse, she 2re2ared to contin e her Jo rne! on foot. 5 t again she was h rled %ac+ and co ld 'a+e no 2rogress. Kater, wee2ing %itterl! o-er her sins, the 1 een retired to a con-ent at )herwell, where ?for 'an! !ears she clothed her 2a'2ered %od! in hair*cloth, slee2ing at night on the gro nd witho t a 2illow, and 'ortif!ing her flesh with e-er! +ind of 2enance@. = ring the twent! !ears after the translation of the relics of St. "dward to Shaftes% r!, 'an! 'iracles were wor+ed thro gh the intercession of the hol! 'art!r*+ing. 6h s there was a wo'an li-ing

in a re'ote 2art of "ngland, who had an infir'it! of her legs and dail! 2o red forth 2ra!ers for her health. One night St. "dward a22eared to her in a drea' and said: ?)hen !o rise at dawn, go witho t dela! to the 2lace where I a' % ried, for there !o will recei-e new shoes that are necessar! for !o r infir'it!.@ )a+ing earl!, the wo'an re2orted the drea' to her neigh%o r3 % t she, dis%elie-ing the -ision, declared that it was i'agination. And so the wo'an diso%e!ed the co''and of the saint. 5 t he, a22earing to her a second ti'e, said: ?)h! do !o s2 rn '! co''and and so greatl! neglect !o r healthL Go then to '! to'% and there !o will %e deli-ered.@ She reco-ered her strength and said: ?)ho are !o , lordL )here shall I find !o r to'%L@ 9e re2lied: ?I a' ,ing "dward, recentl! +illed %! an nJ st death and % ried at Shaftes% r!, in the ch rch of Mar!, the %lessed Mother of God.@ 6he wo'an wo+e earl!, and thin+ing o-er what she had seen, too+ was needed for her Jo rne! and 'ade her wa! to the 'onaster!. 6here she 2ra!ed for so'e ti'e with h '%le heart to God and St. "dward, and was restored to health. Great 'iracles contin ed to %e wor+ed at the to'% of the ro!al 'art!r, and in 1>>1 his %rother "thelred, who had s cceeded hi' on the throne, granted the town of 5radford*on*A-on ?to Christ and 9is saint, '! %rother "dward, who', co-ered in his own %lood, the Kord 9i'self has deigned to 'agnif! %! 'an! signs of 2ower.@ At a%o t the sa'e ti'e the to'% in which the saint la! %egan to rise fro' the gro nd, indicating that he wished his re'ains to %e raised fro' the earth. In confir'ation of this he a22eared in a -ision to a 'on+ and said: ?Go to the con-ent called %! the fa'o s na'e of Shaftes% r! and ta+e co''ands to the n n "thelfreda who is in charge of the other ser-ants of God there. ;o will sa! to her that I do not wish to re'ain an! longer in the 2lace where I now lie, and co''and her on '! %ehalf to re2ort this to '! %rother witho t dela!.@ $ising earl!, and 2ercei-ing that the -ision he had seen was fro' God, the 'on+ 1 ic+l! 'ade his wa! to the a%%ess as he had %een co''anded and told her in order all that had %een re-ealed to hi'. 6hen the a%%ess, gi-ing than+s to God, i''ediatel! told the whole stor! to ,ing "thelred, at the sa'e ti'e 'a+ing +nown to hi' the ele-ation of the to'%. 6he +ing was filled with Jo! and wo ld ha-e %een 2resent at the ele-ation if he had %een a%le. 5 t, %eing 2re-ented %! the in-asions of the =anes, he sent 'essengers to the hol! %isho2s ) lsin of Sher%orne and "lfsin of =orchester*on* 6ha'es, as well as to other 'en of res2ected life, instr cting the' to raise his %rother8s to'% fro' the gro nd and re2lace it in a fitting 2lace. Following the +ing8s co''and, those 'en Jo!f ll! asse'%led at the 'onaster! with a -ast crowd of la!'en and wo'en. 6he to'% was o2ened with the t'ost re-erence, and s ch a wonderf l fragrance iss ed fro' it that all 2resent tho ght that the! were standing a'idst the delights of Paradise. 6hen the hol! %isho2s

drew near, %ore awa! the sacred relics fro' the to'%, and, 2lacing the' in a cas+et caref ll! 2re2ared for this, carried it in 2rocession to the hol! 2lace of the Saints together with other hol! relics. 6his ele-ation of the relics of St. "dward too+ 2lace on ( ne C>, 1>>1. St. "dward was officiall! glorified %! an act of the All*"nglish Co ncil of 1>>., 2resided o-er %! St. Al2hege, arch%isho2 of Canter% r! #who was 'art!red %! the =anes in 1>1C&. ,ing "thelred ordered that the saint8s three feastda!s #March 1., Fe%r ar! 10 and ( ne C>& sho ld %e cele%rated thro gho t "ngland. 6he ch rch in which St. "dward8s relics rested was rededicated to the Mother of God and St. "dward, and that 2art of the town was rena'ed ?"dwardstowe@ in hono r of the saint. 6he town +e2t this na'e thro gho t the Middle Ages: onl! after the Protestant $efor'ation was the original na'e of Shaftes% r! restored. Man! 'iracles contin ed to %e wor+ed at the to'% of St. "dward. 6h s d ring the reign of his ne2hew, ,ing "dward the Confessor #1>4C*1>66&, a 'an na'ed (ohn li-ing in north*west France, whose whole %od! had %een so %ent %! se-ere 2ain that his heels were to ching his loins and he was na%le to stand 2right, was told in a -ision at night to go to "ngland to the 'onaster! at Shaftes% r!, where St. "dward la!, as there he wo ld reco-er hid health. 9e told this -ision to his neigh%o rs and relati-es, and with their hel2 and ad-ice he crossed the "nglish Channel and after 'an! deto rs at last reached the 'onaster!. 9a-ing 2ra!ed there for so'e ti'e to God and St. "dward he reco-ered his health, and re'ained as a ser-ant at the 'onaster! for the rest of his life. <ot long after, a le2er ca'e to the to'% of the saint, and after in-o+ing God8s hel2 %! 2ra!ers and -igils, he recei-ed co'2lete cleansing fro' his infir'it!. Another 'an who had %een %o nd in hea-! chains for his sins was s ddenl! freed fro' the' as he was 2ra!ing earnestl! at the to'%. Again, 5isho2 9er'an of Salis% r! was sta!ing at the 'onaster!, and a 2oor %lind 'an who' he s 22orted was with hi'. )hile the %isho2 was dela!ed, the %lind 'an decided to go and 2ra! at the to'%, led %! a %o! who g ided his ste2s. 9e contin ed 2ra!ing ntil e-ening, when the wardens who were loo+ing after the ch rch as+ed hi' to lea-e. 9e ref sed, and said that he wo ld wait on the 'erc! of God and St. "dward. I'2ressed %! his faith, the! let hi' sta!, while insisting that the %o! ret rn to his lodgings. After sta!ing at his 2lace for so'e ti'e, the %lind 'an was o-erwhel'ed first %! extre'e cold, then %! extre'e heat. And then he reco-ered his sight. 6he next 'orning, so'e wo ld not %elie-e the 'iracle3 % t when witnesses ca'e forward who affir'ed that he had %een %lind for a long ti'e, 2raise was gi-en to Christ )ho wor+s great wonders thro gh 9is Saints.

One of the 'iracles associated with St. "dward was the contin al 1 i-ering of his incorr 2t l ng. It is +nown that this l ng still 1 i-ered in the twelfth cent r!. 9owe-er, in 19>4 an ele-enth* cent r! glass -essel contained ?a shr n+en n t*li+e o%Ject@ was fo nd %eneath a s'all 'ar%le sla% in front of the 9igh Altar. 6he -ase 'a! still %e seen in )inchester Cathedral, % t the relic, which was 2ro%a%l! St. "dward8s l ng, was thrown awa!E In 1901 Mr. )ilson*Claridge disco-ered so'e %ones in a lead cas+et in the north transe2t of Shaftes% r! A%%e!. Altho gh the archaeological e-idence s ggested that these were indeed the relics of the saint, he decided to see+ the ad-ice of a 2rofessional osteologist, =r. 6.".A. Stowell. 9e exa'ined the %ones and in a long re2ort 2 %lished in 6he Cri'inologist ca'e to the concl sion that the! were the %ones of a !o ng 'an of a%o t C> #the saint was a%o t 17 when he was 'art!red&, that he was a Saxon and not a Celt, that certain %ones were 'issing #we +now that 2arts of the relics were re'o-ed to Keo'inster and A%ingdon in 1>>.&, and that certain %ones were inJ red. 6hese inJ ries corres2onded to a 2erson %eing dragged %ac+wards o-er the 2o''el of a saddle and ha-ing their leg twisted in a stirr 2. Fro' all this e-idence =r. Stowell concl ded that these were indeed the %ones of the 'art!red ,ing "dward. 9owe-er, at the ti'e when the hol! relics were a%o t to %e transferred to the $ ssian Ch rch O tside $ ssia, o22osition s ddenl! arose. Another #two*2age& re2ort on the relics was co''issioned which challenged the findings of =r. Stowell, arg ing that the %ones were of an older 'an. 6hen the %rother of Mr. )ilson*Claridge so ght a high*co rt inJ nction 2re-enting the $ ssian Ch rch fro' recei-ing the relics. "-en so'e 'e'%ers of the $OCA s 22orted the %rother of Mr. )ilson*Claridge, clai'ing that he had a half share right in the relics. 6he citiDens of Shaftes% r! also arg ed that the relics sho ld sta! in Shaftes% r!. One $OCA hierarch, Arch%isho2 Mar+ of Ger'an!, 1 estioned whether St. "dward was a tr e saint %eca se, as he clai'ed, the heres! of the Filio1 e was entrenched in "ngland at the ti'e. 9owe-er, a S!nodical decision declared in fa-o r of St. "dward, and the do %ting hierarch Magreed with the for'er decision after ha-ing %een ac1 ainted with the historical infor'ation co'2iled %! 9is Grace, 5isho2 Gregor!, who cited a list of na'es of )estern saints of the sa'e 2eriod who ha-e long %een incl ded in o r list of saints #a'ong who' are St. K d'illa, St. )encesla s of CDechia, and others&.M 6he 2resent writer has arg ed that it is far fro' clear whether the Filio1 e was in general se in "ngland at the ti'e of St. "dward #late tenth cent r!&, and that in an! case no less rigoro s a

theologian than St. Maxi' s the Confessor had declared, when the $o'an Ch rch first ado2ted the Filio1 e, that she did not in fact nderstood in a heretical sense at that time. 6h s the 2ossi%ilit! exists of a heres! %eing acce2ted at an earl! stage o t of ignorance, while those who hold it re'ain Orthodox. In "ngland, 'eanwhile, a long legal %attle %egan, d ring which the hol! relics were +e2t in a %an+ -a lt. At one 2oint the Attorne! General decided that the relics %elonged to the 7 een of "ngland. 6hen he changed his 'ind, % t insisted that the relics sho ld %e +e2t es2eciall! sec re N 2ro%a%l! %eca se the! were the relics of a +ing. Finall!, on March 1./01, 199B, the 2rinci2al feastda! of St. "dward, the case against the $OCA was dis'issed and the relics were ret rned to the Ch rch. Miracles contin e to %e wor+ed thro gh St. "dward to the 2resent da!. 6h s the "nglish Orthodox Christian ?S.P.@ writes: ?I was -er! ha22! to %e 2regnant again % t saddened to learn that I had ca ght the rare disease of toxo2las'osis. 6he doctors ad-ised 'e to a%ort at once: OCo'e thro gh to this roo',8 the! said, Oand it will %e o-er in a few 'in tes.8 As an Orthodox Christian, I ref sed to ha-e an! tr c+ with this. 6he! 2ro'ised 'e, a 'allea%le #so the! tho ght& !o ng wo'an of C0, a child with no legs and no ar's. I 2 t '! faith in God. Kater, six 'onths 2regnant, I ret rned to the clinic for a scan. 6his ti'e the doctors ca'e o t with a slightl! 'ore reass ring stor!: '! child, for the! co ld see hi' now, wo ld ha-e ar's and legs, % t he wo ld %e %orn %lind. ?It was at this -er! ti'e that I first ca'e to read the little %roch re, 6he $ecorded Miracles of St. "dward the Mart!r. I had alwa!s %een attracted %! St. "dward8s icon and when I read that his first 'iracle had %een to heal a %lind wo'an, I was o-erwhel'ed with the tho ght that '! son sho ld %e called "dward. )e decided to %a2tise hi' so, des2ite o r Arch%isho2 who ref sed to recognise the Saint and tried to force '! h s%and into changing the na'e. And when "dward was %orn, he was not %lind, % t a good, ha22! %a%!, 2erfectl! nor'al and so strong and health!I I'agine o r Jo!I 6he doctors were -er! s r2rised, and 2erha2s a little asha'ed of the'sel-es, % t the! did show 'e and '! h s%and the '%ilical cord and 2lacenta. It was astonishing, for we co ld clearl! see how the to2 half of the cord had %een discolo red an gl! %lac+ %! an infection. 6he discoloration had sto22ed exactl! half*wa! down the cord. I a' so than+f l to God and St. "dward. 6he Kord is tr l! wonderf l in 9is Saints.@ S. Mc=onnell, an Orthodox Christian fro' A stralia, writes: ?On Great Frida! this !ear I 'et 2 with "dward, a 5 lgarian friend, in (er sale'. 9e related the following to 'e while we were at the 9ol! Se2 lchre.

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?As a child, he had not %een %a2tised. $ecentl! he had as+ed to recei-e the sacra'ent of hol! %a2tis' in (er sale'. 6he 2riest, Fr. Ia+o-os, agreed % t infor'ed "dward that he wo ld ha-e to change his na'e %eca se it Owas not Orthodox8. M ch saddened, "dward agreed, % t went ho'e with a grief*stric+en heart %eca se he was fond of his na'e. 6hat night while he sle2t, a !o ng 'an wearing a cloa+ of 2 r2le and a s1 are sha2ed crown of gold a22eared and said: OI a' "dward, ,ing of the "nglish. ;o %ear '! na'e. 5e %a2tised.8 6hat was all. #I later fo nd o t fro' Fr. <i2hon of St. "dward8s 5rotherhood that the Saxon crown was a s1 are one.& ?I was s r2rised and showed '! friend "dward a 2a2er icon of St. "dward that I carr! with 'e. I as+ed if this was the one. Shoc+ed, he sta''ered o t !es, noticing 2artic larl! that St. "dward8s crown was s1 are and his cloa+ 2 r2le for a ,ing. ;o can i'agine how sha+en I was %! this, '! 'o th was o2en, I J st co ldn8t %elie-e it.@ (Sources: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle; Anon !ous" #$i%a &s'al(i)" in *+ ,aine" -is%orians o. %he Church o. /or0" ,olls Series" 1874" 1ol+ 2; ?Passio et Mirac la Sancti "dwardis $egis et Mart!ris@ #11th cent r!&, in Christine Fell, "dward ,ing and Mart!r, Pni-ersit! of Keeds, 19713 )illia' of Mal'es% r!, Gesta $eg ' Anglor '3 (.M. ,e'%le, Codex =i2lo'atic s Ae-i Saxoni, 1.4B*., no. 7>63 =.(.A. Fisher, ?6he Anti*Monastic $eaction in the $eign of "dward the Mart!r@, Ca'%ridge 9istorical (o rnal, 19BC, Q, 22. CB4*C7>3 6heodoric Pa l s, 1 oted in Orthodox! A'erica, Ma!* ( ne, 19.13 Ki-ing Orthodox!, -ol 'e IA, no. 4, ( l!*A g st, 19.C, 2. 163 A. Moss, M)estern Saints and the Filio1 eM, Ki-ing Orthodox!, -ol 'e IA, no. 1, (an ar!*Fe%r ar!, 19.C, 2. C93 (. )ilson*Claridge, 6he $ecorded Miracles of St. "dward the Mart!r, 5roo+wood: ,ing "dward Orthodox 6r st, 19.43 A. Moss, 6he Saints of Anglo*Saxon "ngland, Seattle: St. <ectarios Press, -ol 'e C, 19903 Archi'andrite Alexis #Po%Jo!&, ?6he St. "dward 5rotherhood@, <ecro2olis <ews, 5roo+wood, S rre!, -ol. C, no. 1, A2ril, 19963 ?S.P.@, ?A Miracle of St. "dward the Mart!r@, Orthodox "ngland, -ol. 1, no. 4, ( ne, 199., 2. 143 ?A 9ol! <a'e: A Miracle of St. "dward@, Orthodox "ngland, -ol. C, no. 0, March, 1999, 2. 11&