Saint Sigeberht of East Anglia
The twenty-ninth of October is the feast day of Sigeberht, the first successful Christian king of East Anglia, who sent for Saint Felix the Burgundian to undertake the conversion of his people.
Very little is known of Sigeberht’s early life; even his year of birth is uncertain. He was likely the foster son or stepson of the East Anglian king Rædwald, who was a scion of the Wuffingas. He spent nearly his whole early life in exile in Francia, possibly under political pressure from his stepfather in order to protect his biological son Eorpwald’s claim to the East Anglian throne. After Rædwald died, Eorpwald did take the throne, and ruled for twenty-five years. At last he converted to Christianity under Éadwine’s influence, only to be slain by a heathen zealot named Rícberht.
This last event prompted Sigeberht to return from exile, to contend for the throne of his kingdom. It is likely that he gained his sway over East Anglia not by gentle suasion but instead by force, as he was remembered as a capable leader of men in battle. He was quickly recognised and supported as such by his Christianised neighbours, Éadwine of Northumbria and Éadbald of Kent, and quickly gained the upper hand over a heathen co-king named Ecgríc – who was a rival and later ally who converted to Christianity under Sigeberht’s influence.
Sigeberht was interested in improving the state of learning in his kingdom, and therefore founded a school for boys run by Saint Felix. Felix brought thence teachers and schoolmasters from Kent, who taught Christianity after the style of the Roman mission in Canterbury. It doesn’t seem like Saint Sigeberht actively took a side in the Roman-Celtic Easter dating controversy; even though Saint Felix was loyal to Canterbury and thus also Rome, Sigeberht was equally hospitable to the Irish visionary (and Celtic partizan) Saint Fursa of Burgh, to whom he provided land for a monastery near what is now called Burgh Castle. Saint Fursa stayed as long as Sigeberht lived, but departed for Francia himself after Sigeberht’s death.
Sigeberht is remarkable among early English kings in that he willingly renounced his throne (like an English perhaps), left his kingdom in the hands of his now-Christian former rival Ecgríc, and took the tonsure at what is now Bury St Edmund’s. East Anglia was thereafter attacked by the Mercians under Penda, and defended by Ecgríc with a much smaller force of men. Ecgríc sent messengers to Sigeberht’s monastery, and they asked him to come and lead the East Anglian here in battle. They reasoned that, seeing their former king and commander at their head, their hearts would be strengthened and they would be less likely to flee. Sigeberht refused this, however, saying that he had forsaken his earthly kingdom in hopes of the heavenly one. He was nonetheless dragged forcibly from the monastery and placed at the head of the East Anglian forces, fighting alongside Ecgríc. Knowing it wrong for a monk to shed blood, he went into battle armed with nothing but a wooden staff. The Mercians carried the day – and slew both Sigeberht and Ecgríc, along with a great many East Angles. Although the kingdom was destroyed and the lands ravaged by Penda, the church in East Anglia managed to survive and thrive for two centuries afterward. Sigeberht himself was recognised quite soon thereafter as a martyr in the cause of Christ.
Sigeberht is sainted, with good cause, in all three of the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Anglican traditions. Among the early English princes, Sigeberht can best be compared with the Duke of Zhou, being the first to abdicate and take up the monastic life, or better yet Prince Lazar, willingly renouncing earthly victory in exchange for a heavenly one. Holy and righteous Sigeberht, who prized the martyr’s crown over any earthly glory, pray unto Christ our God that our souls may be saved!
No comments:
Post a Comment