This week in Christian history: 3 sisters martyred, Matthew Simpson becomes preacher
St. Edmund of Abingdon made archbishop of Canterbury – April 2, 1234
This week marks the anniversary of when Saint Edmund of Abingdon, a Medieval church leader known for his clashes with King Henry III, was consecrated the archbishop of Canterbury.
A scholar and spiritually influential writer, Edmund taught at Oxford and Paris before he became a church official, having at one point preached in support of the Sixth Crusade.
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As archbishop, Edmund had a hostile relationship with King Henry III over issues including the rights of churches and the monarch’s policies toward mainland Europe.
“In 1236 Henry requested the pope to send him a legate, Cardinal Otho, who arrived the following year. Otho’s presence helped to undermine the archbishop’s power,” according to Britannica.
“Edmund finally protested before Henry and generally excommunicated all who had infringed upon the liberties of his primal see. He left for Rome, planning to appeal his case before the Curia, but poor health forced him to stop at Soisy [in France], where he died.”
