Early life and career Edmund was born circa 1174, possibly on 20 November (the feast of St
Edmund the Martyr), in
Abingdon in Berkshire (now
Oxfordshire), 7 miles south of
Oxford, England. Edmund had two sisters and at least one brother. "Rich" was an epithet sometimes given to his wealthy merchant father, Reynold. It was never applied to Edmund or his siblings in their lifetimes. His father retired, with his wife's consent, to the monastery at
Eynsham Abbey, leaving in her hands the education of their family. Her name was Mabel; she was a
devout woman who lived an
ascetic life and encouraged her children to do the same. Both her daughters
took the veil. Edmund may have been educated at the
monastic school in
Abingdon. He developed a taste for religious learning, saw visions while still at school, and at the age of twelve took a vow of perpetual
chastity in
St Mary's church at Oxford. Long hours at night spent in prayer had the result that he often "nodded off" during his lectures. There is a long-established tradition that he utilised his lecture-fees to build the Lady Chapel of
St Peter's in the East at Oxford. The site where he lived and taught was formed into a mediaeval
academic hall in his name and later incorporated as the college of
St Edmund Hall. His mother's influence then led to his taking up the study of
theology. Though for some time Edmund resisted the change, he finally entered upon his new career between 1205 and 1210. He spent a year in retirement with the
Augustinian canons of
Merton Priory, and refused to spend upon himself the revenues which he derived from several
benefices. He often retired for solitude to
Reading Abbey, and it is possible that he would have become a
monk if that profession had afforded more scope for his gifts as a preacher and expositor. He held this position for eleven years, during which time he also engaged in preaching. In 1227 he preached the
Sixth Crusade through a large part of England. Before his consecration Edmund became known for supporting ecclesiastical independence from Rome, maintenance of the
Magna Carta and the exclusion of foreigners from civil and ecclesiastical office. Reluctant to accept appointment as archbishop, Edmund was persuaded when it was pointed out that if he refused, the Pope might very well appoint a foreign ecclesiastic. In the name of his fellow bishops Edmund admonished
Henry III of England at
Westminster, on 2 February 1234, to heed the example of his father,
John of England. A week after his consecration he again appeared before the king with the barons and bishops, this time threatening Henry with excommunication if he refused to dismiss his councillors, many of them foreign, and particularly
Peter des Roches,
Bishop of Winchester. Henry yielded, and the favourites were dismissed,
Hubert de Burgh (whom they had imprisoned) was released and reconciled to the king and soon the archbishop was sent to
Wales to negotiate peace with
Llywelyn the Great. Edmund's success, however, turned the king against him. He claimed and exercised metropolitan rights of visitation, this was often challenged and he had to resort to litigation to maintain his authority, not the least with his own monastic chapter at Canterbury. In 1236, with the object of emancipating himself from Edmund's control, the king asked the pope to send him a
legate. On the arrival of
Cardinal Odo in 1237 the archbishop found himself thwarted and insulted at every point. The politically significant marriage between
Simon de Montfort and Henry's sister
Eleanor, which Edmund had pronounced invalid, was ratified at Rome upon appeal. The king and legate upheld the monks of Canterbury in their opposition to Edmund's authority. Edmund protested to the king, and
excommunicated in general terms all who had infringed the liberties of Canterbury. These measures had no impact, and the pope could not be moved to reverse the legate's decisions. Edmund complained that the discipline of the national church was ruined by this conflict of powers, and began to consider retirement.
Veneration Less than a year after Edmund's death, miracles were alleged to be wrought at his grave. Despite Henry's opposition, he was
canonised only six years after his death, in December 1246. His feast day is 16 November. A few years later, the first chapel dedicated to him,
St Edmund's Chapel, was consecrated in
Dover by his friend
Richard of Chichester, making it the only chapel dedicated to one English saint by another; this small building still stands. At Salisbury, a
collegiate church founded in 1269 by
Bishop de la Wyle was dedicated to Edmund; rebuilt in 1407, the church is now
Salisbury Arts Centre. An altar in
the cathedral is also dedicated to him. St Edmund's Roman Catholic Primary School, Abingdon, Oxfordshire and St Edmund Preparatory High School, Brooklyn, NY. Edmund Rich of Abingdon is
remembered in the
Church of England with a
commemoration on
16 November.
Relics Edmund's body was never translated to Canterbury, because the Benedictine community there resented what they regarded as Edmund's attacks on their independence. An arm is enshrined in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Assumption at St. Edmund's Retreat on
Enders Island off the coast of Mystic, Connecticut. The retreat is operated by the Society of the Fathers and Brothers of St. Edmund. In 1853, the fibula of Edmund's left leg was presented to St Edmund's College,
Ware, by Cardinal Wiseman. Many local cures of serious illnesses were attributed to the intercession of St Edmund; one of the earliest of these was of a student who nearly died after a fall in 1871. His complete healing led to the accomplishment of a vow to extend the
Pugin chapel with a side chapel to honour the saint. The Islamic silk
chasuble, with the main fabric probably made in
Al-Andalus, that Edmund had with him at his death remains in the museum in Provins, with a stole and
maniple.
Character Edmund's life was one of self-sacrifice and devotion to others. From boyhood he practised
asceticism, such as fasting on Saturdays on bread and water, and wearing a
hair shirt. After a few hours' sleep, he spent most of the night in prayer and meditation. ==Works==