Orthodox Icon of Saint Edward, Martyr King of England

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September 3rd
Troparion (Tone 4)
Celebrating the newly manifest commemoration of the holy King Edward, who shone forth of old in the virtues and suffered undeservedly we all bow down before the Icon of his honoured countenance and in gladness cry out: Truly Thou art wonderful in Thy Saints, O God.

Saint Edward is the son of King Edgar the Peacable, King of England & Emperor of Britain. Edgar had re-established the monasteries in England and donated much land to them. He evicted the married clergy from the monasteries so that they could be rightfully occupied by monks and nuns. Edward was born in 960 and at age 15 was anointed King by St. Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury. Edward was the firstborn, but had not been born "in the purple" (that is, after Edgar's coronation) and his mother was not royalty. Edgar was widowed after Edward's birth and remarried Etheldritha, who bore Ethelred. Queen Etheldritha tried to put forward her son to succeed Edgar, but St. Dunstan intervened. The young king was continually confronted by the nobles who wanted him to dismantle the monasteries and redistribute the land. He defended them with St. Dunstan at his side. Some of the nobles conspired with Queen Etheldritha to assassinate Edward and install Ethelred as king. On May 19, 979, Edward rode to Corfe Castle and wanted to talk to his younger brother. His step-mother, the Queen, greeted him, and invited him in. He stayed on his horse and said that he just wanted to talk to his brother. She offered him something to drink. He accepted. One of the queen's manservants kissed him. Then, while the king was drinking, he stabbed him in the chest. The horse ran dragging Edward with one foot in the stirrup, until it stopped in the stream by the castle. Etheldritha immediately concealed the body in a blind woman's hut on the grounds. In the night the woman saw a glowing brightness coming from the dead king's body. She realized it was the righteous King Edward and she received her sight. The queen was unsettled by this miracle and had Edward's body buried in a bog. The stream where the Saint's body had been dragged was found to have healing powers, especially curing blindness.

This Icon is by the hand of Nicholas Papas. It is from St. George's Antiochian Orthodox Church in Oakland, PA.

Order #sgp-03