The Supreme Executive Committee of Lent Madness offers its hearty congratulations to 2018 Golden Halo winner Anna Alexander. Anna joins the ranks of previous Golden Halo winners George Herbert (2010), C.S. Lewis (2011), Mary Magdalene (2012), Frances Perkins (2013), Charles Wesley (2014), Francis of Assisi (2015), Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2016), and Florence Nightingale (2017).
What propelled Deaconess Anna to victory amid a stellar crowd of 32 saintly souls? Besides being an amazing Christian, we’re not exactly sure. Who knows what captures the imagination of the Lent Madness Global Public? But we do think the passionate students at Episcopal Day School in Augusta, Georgia, played a crucial role in highlighting Anna’s amazingness. Watch these two short videos and we think you’ll agree!
What’s nearly as important as announcing the Golden Halo winner? Sharing the Lentorium link to the winner’s swag! This year, we’re offering an Anna Alexander Golden Halo 2018 mug along with a new item — a purple Lent Madness travel mug. Show your Lent Madness spirit!
Want to nominate a saint for Lent Madness 2019? Tim and Scott will be opening up the week-long nomination process (aka Nominationtide) in the coming weeks. Stay tuned! If you’re worried you’ll miss it, we suggest sitting in front of your computer and just re-loading the Lent Madness web page over and over again. Hey, it’s the kind of out-of-season exercise that will make you ready for next year’s 10th anniversary contest with a freshly trained refresh finger.
Finally, blessings to all as we head into the Triduum and enter into the death and resurrection of our Lord. It’s been a privilege to have you join us on our Lenten pilgrimage!
Thanks. It was fun.
It WAS fun! Thanks for all the hard work that goes into this every year. It’s such a blessing to us all.
Mary Katherine in Versailles (pronounced ver-SALES), Kentucky.
We pronounce it that way in Ohio, too.
And in Pennsylvania.
As a former KY resident now living right across the river in Southern Indiana, I love knowing that Ver-sales lives, if not on the map, at least in our voices.
Yea for Anna! But, i’m missing Lent Madness already…great start to the day.
I agree. Can’t we have such a Madness for the 50 Days of Easter, Pentecost Advent, etc.?
Thanks to all who were responsible for a great Lenten Madness. Congratulations to my fellow St. Simons resident Anna Alexander. While she wears the golden halo, I am sure she must feel she is the least deserving. How like our Lord to lift up such servants to the highest esteem. When I drink from my golden halo mug and am asked who is Anna Alexander, I shall delight in sharing again the story of such a caring dedicated saint.
That is one cool mug! Gotta order one today.
Thank you SEC for another educational and humorous Lent Madness!
Check out the links to the day school. Their rendition of “I sing a song of the Saints of God” was wonderful. I know that they are thrilled this morning with Anna’s Golden Halo. Free mugs for the singers??? It’s going to be a long year until the next Lent Madness. Easter Blessings to All!
Thank you! I always enjoy learning about the saints, laughing at Lent Madness and its campy humor and reading the comments of my fellow LM followers. So many deserving saints this year, but I’m glad Anne Alexander won. The short film about her life, available early in the process, was very moving. Thanks to those who created it.
I think this is the first time I’ve ever gotten behind the winner of the Golden Halo from the very beginning. I shall endeavor to avoid the sin of pride.
The Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music has proposed in their report to the 2018 General Convention that Deaconess Alexander be included in the new Lesser Feasts and Fasts. Her day will be September 24th. The Collect reads: O God, who called Anna Alexander as a deaconess in your
church: Grant us the humility to go wherever you send and the wisdom to teach the word of Christ to whomever we meet, that all may come to the enlightenment which you intend for your people;
through Jesus Christ, our Teacher and Savior. Amen.
Amen!
That is wonderful! I can’t even begin to tell you of the joy I found in contemplating on that collect this morning.
Exactly what is the process of getting a deserving but not yet recognized saint to where Anna is now in terms of being up for inclusion in LF&F?
Amen!
Awesome!
This my first Lent romp down the saint’s I have never heard of road. It was very fun and enlightening . I look forward….get it ?……to next year.
Hi, My first venture, Loved it.
Would also like to see a list of previous competitors in order to make a suggestion that has not previously played in Lent Madness.
Thanks, Jan
Congratulations to the many Anna devotees and kudos to her faithful blogger Anna Fitch Courie, who shepherded her second saint to Golden Halo status – well done! To the other Celebrity Bloggers I say “take heart” because, God willing, there’s always next year!
I am a writer too and I truly appreciate the thoughtful, yes prayerful, preparation of ALL the Lent Madness materials I devour each year. And thank you Rev. Tim and Rev. Scott. What a magnificent blessing your work is to me and to so many around the globe. Pairing the important calling to study and mirror the lives of our saints with your fun-loving, creative personalities is the gift that is Lent Madness. From my island home in Galveston, Texas, I am grateful. Foot-washing blessings to all on this remarkable Maundy Thursday!
P.S. Thanks for the preview about Anna’s day Michael Hartney – that’s good info.
Ditto
It was a great Lent Madness. Thanks to everyone who made it interesting, educational, and fun.
I look forward to Lent every year because of Lent Madness. Thank you all so much: the SEC, the Celebrity Bloggers who did such a fantastic job (loved the Collects in round one), and members of the Lent Madness Viewing Public for their thoughtful comments. Wishing everybody a most blessed journey through the Triduum and a joyous Easter.
what an absolute blast. Many blessings for the absolute FUN you built around an understanding of Saints and Cloud of Witnesses. We conducted a Saints Lenten Series every Wednesday evening and recapping Lent Madness was always one of the highlights of the evening.
Congratulations to Anna Alexander!
I think this is the first time I.ve ever picked the winner. A truly once in a lifetime experience ! GO ANNA !!!
I was pulling for Maria Skobstova – but am delighted with Anna Alexander winning, too! Yay, Anna!
Thank you everyone – Tim & Scott for thinking this up, the Celebrity Bloggers for helping to educate us, and all of you voters whose comments sometimes swayed my decision (and sometimes did not). I got up this morning both excited to discover who won the Golden Halo, and sad because Lent Madness now goes away for another year. The mix of education, laughter, faith, and sharing with fellow Mad Lenters (is that a term?) is indeed a gift from God. I am very excited to have learned about so many saints, and that Anna won the halo. Yay Anna!
OK, but how can I properly toast Anna’s win until I get Maria’s Silver Halo stein?
I’ll be waiting.
A very good question!
I was shocked when I saw the difference in votes between Anna and Maria, but knowing that Anna’s school was voting for her makes things a little clearer for me! Well done Episcopal Day School, and thank you to the celebrity bloggers and Tim/Scott for another great year. Happy Easter all!
Just to clarify, the school with students supporting Anna Alexander is Episcopal Day School in Augusta. EDS is in the same Diocese, but not associated with her. Anna’s school stands empty just behind her grave alongside the church she founded, which remains open. The EDS students watched the 11-minute documentary on her life shortly before Lent Madness’ bracket came out this year and they have been steadfast in their support of this saint of the Georgia.
Who would have thunk that Anna would be uber-ringed? I thought for sure at the beginning of Lent Madness that Peter would come out reigning victorious! Perhaps we should hedge (non-monetary) bets next year prior to Ash Thursday on who we think will win the next Golden Halo? Um, Prophecytide……??
A blessed Easter, all.
I also thought Peter was a shoe-in! Ever since Francis, voting has trended in favor of the modern saints.
The links to the school videos didn’t come through, at least to my computer.
Never mind. They’re there now.
What fun! Thanks so much for all of your efforts to put Lent Madness together every year!
I see the design of the mug has changed from years past. Maybe the yellow looks better in person.
(BTW, are any mugs from previous years still available? I know of someone whose 2012 mug became broken.)
I found this link: https://www.lentmadness.org/2016/03/mug-shot-winner-announced/ that shows images of mugs from 2015 and earlier. I think the original coffee cup design quite nice and am wondering why the change?
Thanks, Gentlemen! How I enjoyed LentMadness this year! It adds a whole new dimension to Lent for so many of us. Learning and sharing and admiring our saints during Lent has become a joy.
Congratulatons to Anna, a worthy Golden Halo winner!
Love all your hard work and the insights to each Saint. Thank you to the guest contributors too! .
Glad for our Ga girl! To God the Glory!
Oh my.All gone. It was so much fun and so informative. Thank you!! So much better than the Nuns With Rulers.
Congratulations Anna Alexander of course this was my pick. I will be shopping for my travel mug and will gladly share her story. This was fun and looking forward to nex years Lent Madness.
Thank you for bringing Lent Madness to us each season. It’s my morning cup of joy! Happy Easter to all. Mary Jane at All Saints By The Sea, Montecito, CA
Hooray for Anna Alexander!! Mugs OTW soon!
I pick Saints & Women’s Basketball better than any other brackets.
I didn’t even miss my Godiva chocolates a bit-
(Plug for Lady Godiva for Lent Madness 2019)
How about a Maria Silver Halo pint glass to go w/Bonheffer’s?
Is there way to an archive to get books, brackets or info from previous years?
Congratulations on a job well done. What a way to start the Easter walk.
Yes! Maria should get a beer glass (I’d get one). She was an incredible woman in her own place and time.
Congrats Saint Anna for a battle well won! As always, I learned so much about all these wonderful saints and had fun as well. Many thanks SEC and bloggers, for a job well done! Happy Triduum and a glorious Easter to all my Lent Madness friends! See y’all next year.
Hurray for deaconesses and deacons, the often-overlooked leaders of compassion and justice ministry!
I love Lent Madness and I love the SEC. Seriously. I love you guys.
Thank you. It was fun! Your hard work and creativity is greatly appreciated. Will definitely tune in next year. Wishing all a Blessed Easter.
Thank you! Great Lenton activity. I loved all of the saints, the quality of the writing done by the bloggers and of course the Supreme Executive Committee, Scott and Tim! Bremerton, WA
Me too!
Yay for Anna Alexander, who is an inspiration to all us teachers. I always enjoy and learn from Lent Madness.
I’m curious about one thing. I’ve noticed that in recent years we seem to have a preference for the activist saints. Contemplatives don’t do well, and I was astonished that Richard Hooker made it as far as the faithful four. I notice this not because I think this is a problem, but I know that for me the active dimensions of ministry are in some ways easier than developing my prayer life… and that’s always what I try to do (with varied success) in Lent. So I wonder whether it’s harder for us to see the significance of the contemplative life, or whether most of us feel a great need to develop the action side of our faith life…
This is a very interesting thought. I initially thought those saints with many quotes and writings were more poised for success, but Deaconess Anna’s win supports your point! I also struggle in contemplative prayer, but would indeed be more inclined for someone who completed great works of mercy.
Thank you for a great Lent Madness! I look forward to next year and already have at least suggestion for next year!
Thank you both for another wonderful Lent Madness, and thank you to all the bloggers for their creative and hard work. I’m missing Lent Madness already. It’s a great way to start the day.
Finally, yay for Anna! She would proud of those kids. I loved, loved, loved the song!
Happy Easter everyone!
Congrats to Anna. And I am all ready for my nomination for next year’s contest. Jonathan Daniels is one of my heroes of the faith. Please, please pick him
Wasn’t Jonathan in an earlier Lent Madness?
I don’t think repeats are off-limits. Bonhoeffer made it to the Faithful Four in 2012 before his victory in 2016.
Mine, too!
No… Richard Hooker!
Every year the challenges get harder as we explore the 32 Saints and learn more about the prople of God.
This exercise is more enlightening than all the fasts and deprivation of Lent of my youth. Thank you to all of the team beginning with Tim’s clever idea. Scott for sharing this through Forward and all of the Celebrity Bloggers, the artist’s wonderful rendition for the cover, and the amazing organist!! And of course to everyone who takes the time to vote and share thoughts as we wend our way through Lent!
Now on to the 50 Days leading to Pentecost!!!
Hooray for Anna! Now that she’s led two saints to victory, can Anna Fitch Courie finally be considered a Distinguished Celebrity Blogger??
Thank you SEC, CBs, and all who commented here for this wonderful Lenten journey. A Blessed Easter to all! I sing a song of the saints of God . . .
YEAH Deacon Anna Alexander!! and to SEC and all – Thank you for another great journey!!
Hurrah for Anna and all the Saints in the bracket and our beloved SEC and bloggers. I thought surely Maria Skobstova would warrant a pint glass since it seems such an appropriate recognition of her martyrdom. Oh well, the SEC knows best? Just kidding . I can’t imagine a better way to make the Lenten Pilgrimage and to move deeper into the mysteries of faith and discipleship. Blessed Easter all.
First time player here; I had so much fun and learned something every day! Thank your for your good work and looking forward to next year!
I Sing a Song of the Saints of God. And I need to be one, too. I look to Anna for inspiration. Thanks, Lent Madness! (And I’m going to order a mug.)
Congratulations Anna(s)! It’s been another great journey- both joyous and educational. Thank you to Tim and Scott, the Bracket Czar, all the Celebrity Bloggers, Maestro Shiloh Roby, the staff at Forward Movement, the Lent Madness Global Community and Commentariat, and all the saints. A Blessed Holy Week and a Joyous Easter to all!
Probably should say “all the Saints”-computer is still in on the madness :). Again, thanks for a wonderful journey!
I had Anna and Maria from the beginning ! And chose Anna to win!❤️
Gotta get the Church to play for $$$ next year
So grateful for the GEC, the EXBlogers and the rest of the team that makes my Lenten experience mean more than ever.
Peace be with you❤️
My LM withdrawal has started ALREADY!