Well, friends, Welcome to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen. We started with 32 holy men and women and we’re down to sixteen as the battle for the coveted Golden Halo marches on. Round One consisted of basic biographical information about the saints. Since there’s no need to rehash previously covered ground, the this round is made up of what we like to call “Quirks & Quotes.” So prepare for some little known facts accompanied by quotes either by or about the saint in question.
In the final battle of the initial round, Paul of Tarsus handily defeated Theodore of Tarsus 61% to 39%. Check out the updated bracket to see the full slate of saints who made it to the next round.
We kick things off with the much-anticipated match-up between Joan of Arc and Mary Magdalene. This battle has been hyped so much that it would make even Don King blush. But the waiting is over; let the voting commence. Winner heads to the Round of the Elate Eight!
Joan of Arc (1412 – 1431), a French peasant, began to hear the voices of Saints Michael, Catherine, and Margaret at age thirteen. By seventeen, those voices urged her to become involved in the struggle for the contested French throne in the Hundred Years War. She convinced Charles the Dauphin to allow her to command an army, which she led to spectacular victory in Orleans, paving the way for him to be crowned king. She was later wounded in battle and then captured, sold to the English, and put on trial by the Inquisition. Tried as a witch and a heretic but finally convicted of cross-dressing, she was burned at the stake at nineteen.
Unsaintly Vibes
Shockingly, not everyone loves Lent Madness as much as we do. As the global media frenzy took hold this week, we’ve noticed a few online comments that have been less than flattering. It would be easy to get indignant, defensive, etc: “But we have God on our side! And saints! And a whole army of Lent Madness fans!”
But the fact is, we just like these quotes too much to let them go unnoticed, even as today’s battle between Joan of Arc and Mary Magdalene opens the Round of the Saintly 16. Thus we offer you a few examples for your reading pleasure.
After reading Sara Pagones’ witty commentary in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Maria wrote:
If we were literally able to “mock all that’s holy,” I’d say that’s a pretty impressive accomplishment, wouldn’t you? I mean, there’s an awful lot of holy stuff out there. And, as one subsequent commenter put it, “Oh, Maria…Seriously? This is a great way to get people more involved with their faith. Come on, girl–lighten up! PS: Yes, it’s just you.”
Robin Jarrell posted the following on our Facebook fan page:
Our initial reaction to this one was “she called us leaders of the church!” Then we replied: “Actually, the leadership of the Episcopal Church in the USA belongs to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and Bonnie Anderson, President of the House of Deputies. They are not boys. On the other hand, Lent Madness is meant to be fun. If it is not fun for you, we’re sorry. Really. Others are enjoying the festivities while they learn about God’s work in the lives of women and men through history.” Plus, it’s no longer called “genuflecting.” It’s Tebowing.
This from “markstra” on the Religious News Service website:
Well, besides Jesus wandering in the wilderness for 40 days. Sounds like someone needs to take their three-legged stool (Scripture, Tradition, Reason) in for repair.
Ultimately, we realize that Lent Madness is not for everyone. Some might even resent the Colbert-esque pomposity of the Supreme Executive Committee. The good news is that while Lent is not optional for Christians, Lent Madness is. Sure it’s their loss and, as we like to say, “There’s nothing worse than a humorless Christian.” Or, as Tim was quoted eloquently stating in the Toledo Blade, “If God doesn’t have a sense of humor, I’m hosed.”
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