January 19th - St. Canute IV of Denmark, King M (RM)
(also known as Cnut, K****, Knute)
Born c. 1040; died at Odense in July 10, 1086. Saint Canute, the
illegitimate
son of King Sweyn (Swein) III Estrithson of Denmark and nephew of the King
Canute who had reigned over England (1016- 1035), attempted unsuccessfully
to
claim the English crown in 1075, when three earls who rebelled against
William
the Conqueror asked for his help. His fleet of 200 ****ps achieved only a
raid on
York before the rebellion was suppressed. Nevertheless, he became king of
Denmark as Canute IV, succeeding his brother Harald the Slothful, in 1081
after
a reign of two years. By this time, Denmark itself had been largely
evangelized
by the English and was nominally a Christian kingdom. Canute began his
reign
with a successful war against the troublesome, barbarous enemies of the
state,
and by planting the faith in conquered territories. Amid the glory of his
victories he humbly prostrated himself at the foot of the crucifix, laying
there
his diadem, and offering himself and his kingdom to the King of kings.
After
providing for the peace and safety of his country, Canute married Adela
(Eltha
or Alice), sister (or daughter by some accounts) of Count Roberts II of
Flanders, by whom he had a son, Saint Charles the Good.
He was a competent ruler, who cleared the seas of pirates and enacted laws
for
the strict administration of justice, which entailed restraining the power
of
the jarls (earls). He was a zealous Christian, who is said to have
chastised
his
body with fasting, discipline, and haircloths, and to have prayed
assiduously.
He also used his tem****al power to spread the Gospel. Canute aided the
missionaries in order to convert his people and those of Livonia,
Samogitia,
and
Courland, heightened the authority of the clergy (making some of them
powerful
tem****al lords), imposed the payment of tithes for the upkeep, combated
heathen
customs, and built many churches, including that of Lund. He gave the
valuable
crown that he wore to the church of Roschild in his capital (Zealand),
where
the
kings of Denmark are still buried.
In 1085, Canute prepared to invade England when he reasserted his claim to
that
crown against the Norman conquerors. He began to assemble a huge fleet
with
his
allies of Norway and Flanders. The threat was so serious that William the
Conqueror im****ted numerous mercenaries, removed supplies from the coastal
towns, and instituted the Doomsday Survey. In the end the threat amounted
to
nothing.
The heavy taxes Canute had hastily introduced for the tithe and for war,
and
his
disputes with the jarls led to a rebellion headed by his brother Olaf, and
forced Canute to abandon the invasion and flee to the island of Funen
(Fionia).
He was tracked down by the insurgents and he, his brother Benedict, and 17
followers were slain on July 19 as he knelt in front of the altar of Saint
Alban's Church in Odense, Schleswig, where he had taken refuge.
Canute's sup****ters viewed his death as a martyrdom. The English monks of
Odense
accepted him as a saint, buried him under their altar, and promoted his
cultus.
The English monk Aelnoth of Canterbury, Canute's biographer, re****ted many
miracles that occurred at Canute's tomb. These, together with the fact
that
he
was kneeling at the altar of the church after confession and Holy
Communion
when
he was slain, caused Pope Paschal II to authorize his cult at the request
of
King Eric III of Denmark in 1101.
His claim to martyrdom is as dubious as that of Saints Oswin and
Ethelbert;
however, the fact that he was killed while preparing to invade England and
it
was English monks who promoted his cause leads one to think that Canute
had
a
genuine claim to sanctity (Attwater, Attwater2, Benedictines, Butler,
Coulson,
Delaney, Farmer, Husenbeth, Schamoni).
In art Saint Canute is a Nordic king with royal insignia, dagger, lance or
arrow. He is often barefoot with his hair in a fillet. Sometimes he is
shown
with Saint Charles Borromeo (Roeder). He is the patron saint of Denmark
(Farmer).
This Version taken from:
http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/ss-index.htm
Saint Quote:
If you think well of others, you will also speak well of others and to
others.
From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. If your heart is full of
love,
you will speak of love.
-Blessed Mother Teresa
Bible Quote:
: "A tree is identified by its fruit. A tree from a select variety
produces
good
fruit; poor varieties, don't.... A good man's speech reveals the rich
treasures
within him. An evil-hearted man is filled with venom, and his speech
reveals
it."-Matthew 12:33, 35
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Daily Thoughts and Prayers for Our Beloved Dead
"Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends, because the
hand
of
the Lord hath touched me" Job. 19-21.
THIRTEENTH DAY
St. Ambrose tells us: "All that we give through charity to the Souls in
Purgatory is changed into grace for us, and after our death we will find
the
merit of it increased a hundredfold."
Pray: One Our Father, Three Hail Mary's, one Gloria and De Profundis
(Psalm
129)
De Profundis
Out of the depths, I have cried to Thee,
O Lord, Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thine ears be attentive to the
voice of my supplication.
If Thou, O Lord, shalt mark my iniquities,
O Lord, who shall stand it?
For with Thee there is merciful
forgiveness: and by reason of Thy
law I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath relied on His word;
my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even until
night; let Israel hope in the Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy;
And with Him plenteous redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from
all its iniquities.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
And let perpetual light ****ne upon them:
May they rest in peace. Amen.
O Lord Jesus Christ, grant to the souls of the faithful departed, the
full
remission of their sins. Be mindful, most merciful Savior, of that Soul in
Purgatory who was most devoted to Thee in the Holy Eucharist. Shorten the
moment
of his deliverance, that he may glorify Thee, and aid me in my journey
toward
Eternity.
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