Saints

Benedictine monk and bishop. Born of royal blood in the 7th century, Egwin entered a monastery as a young man. In 692 he was asked to become bishop of Worcester. As a bishop he became known as a protector of orphans and widows and a fair judge, however some clergy complained that he was too strict with them. A group of them, with the support of the king, made an official complaint against him. E... Read More

Martyr and archbishop of Canterbury. Thomas Becket was born in Cheapside, London, on 21st December (which was the feast of St Thomas the Apostle) around 1120, the son of a prosperous London merchant, Gilbert Beket and his wife Matilda. The young Thomas was sent as a student to Merton Priory and later attended a grammar school in London, possibly St Paul's Cathedral school. After his father suffe... Read More

Pope. Sylvester became Pope in 314 and served for 21 years until his death in 335, during the reign of the Emperor Constantine. According to one legend, Constantine persecuted Pope Sylvester to begin with. But then the emperor contracted leprosy. He was going to have a pagan ritual of some kind, but one night he had a dream in which St Peter and St Paul told him to go to the Pope for help. Const... Read More