One of the colleges in Oxford has
taken the name of a saint, i.e. St Edmund Hall. St Edmund of Abingdon, was born
Edmund Rich in the town of Abingdon, just south of Oxford, in about 1175, the
son of a merchant. After studies at Oxford and Paris, he taught (c. 1194-1200)
in Paris and in Oxford, where he is supposed to have been the first to teach
the philosophy of Aristotle. He taught at Oxford again from about 1214 to 1222.
Outstanding priest, administrator, teacher, and man of peace and prayer, Edmund
was in charge of the finances for the great cathedral of Salisbury, then being
built, and in 1234 he was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury.
This was a time of great unrest
and change; eighteen years before, the barons had forced from King John the
famous statement of rights known as Magna Carta, while King John's own disputes
with the Church had led to the Pope's imposition of the 'Great Interdict' when
English church life was suspended, the buildings were closed and sacraments
could not be celebrated. In trying to restore the balance after this stormy
time, Edmund soon came into conflict with Henry III, by defending church rights
and criticising the king's continental policies. In the end, Edmund departed
for Rome, intending to place his case before the Curia, but poor health made
him break off his journey at Soisy, where he died on Nov. 16, 1240. He was
buried at Pontigny Abbey. Henry opposed his canonisation until 1247.
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