Let's just state right off the bat that there is no room for nepotism in Lent Madness. Saints related to members of the Supreme Executive Committee are ineligible to compete for the Golden Halo.
Therefore, just because Francis of Assisi won the coveted Golden Halo last year, there was no funny business going on that led to Clare of Assisi's inclusion this year. The SEC was not coerced by the Assisi mafia. In fact, Clare only made it into the bracket by winning a play-in round against Chad of Lichfield held during the Episcopal Church's General Convention last summer.
Anyway, today Clare faces off against Denis. Please don't lose your head over this battle.
Yesterday, in a VERY tight contest, Columba eked out a victory over Kateri Tekakwitha 51% to 49% in the closest battle to date in Lent Madness 2016. Columba will face Meister Eckhart in the Saintly Sixteen. Sadly, we also saw our first case of voter fraud. At 11:02 pm EST, two addresses, in Vermillion, SD and Medford, OR were blocked. 125 votes for Kateri Tekakwitha were recorded from these two locations, and we do not know of groups participating in Lent Madness in those cities. Not enough votes were cast to affect the outcome, but we have blocked the addresses to prevent further votes. Remember, vote only once per person or be cast into the outer darkness of Lent Madness! Also, Jesus does not approve of cheating.
And finally, if you missed yesterday's edition of Monday Madness, Tim and Scott share suggestions on how to be a Lent Madness evangelist in your congregation. Using a Lent Madness mug in place of a chalice may or may not be one of their tips.
Clare
Often overshadowed by her friend Francis, Clare was one of the most dedicated followers of Saint Francis, the Poor Man of Assisi (and 2015 Golden Halo winner). Clare has been called a clear mirror of a life lived in deep spirituality, dedicated wholly to Christ, embracing the charisms of poverty, cloistered contemplation, and devotion.
Like Francis, Clare was born into a wealthy family in the late twelfth century. She led a life of prayer and devotion from early childhood. Sometime before 1212, Clare heard Francis preach. Soon after, her uncle arranged a marriage for her, and Clare fled to Francis, asking his advice. He implored her to live a life dedicated to Christ. On Palm Sunday in 1212, Clare began her contemplative life in a Benedictine house.
Her father came to the convent to retrieve her and (legend says) she clung to the altar so fiercely that the heavy altar cloths were torn. Clare, however gentle she is portrayed in prayer and devotion, was defiant in her dedication to the contemplative life. She eventually settled in the church of San Damiano, where she and other women became known as the Poor Ladies of Assisi. Clare served as their abbess, the head of the abbey.
Francis’s male followers were itinerant preachers; Clare and the sisters lived a cloistered life of prayer and poverty. For Clare, poverty was foundational to the order’s rule and preserved the purity of the Franciscan heritage. Clare saw poverty as a charism, a gift of the Holy Spirit, which offered the narrow way to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Clare, dedicated to ensuring the rule of total poverty, lobbied throughout her life for papal approval to ensure the Poor Clare’s Rule of Life. In 1253, Clare received news that the pope sanctioned the Rule. Two days later, she died.
Collect for Clare
O God, whose blessed Son became poor that we through his poverty might be rich: Deliver us from an inordinate love of this world, that we, inspired by the devotion of your servant Clare, may serve you with singleness of heart, and attain to the riches of the age to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Denis
We know very little about Denis, a third-century missionary, martyr, and bishop of Paris. The most famous of his feats is also the most improbable: After being decapitated on Paris’ highest hill (today known as Montmartre), he reportedly picked up his own head and carried it six miles, preaching repentance the entire way. This makes Denis one of about fifty cephalophores— saints who are traditionally depicted carrying their heads in their own hands.
Denis’s story is shot through with myth and mystery. Because his name may have originally been Dionysius, he is sometimes confused with Dionysius the Areopagite, a judge converted by the apostle Paul (Acts 17:34). However, Denis is believed to have been a missionary sent by Pope Fabian to evangelize the Romans living in Lutetia (today’s Paris) along with his two inseparable companions, Rusticus and Eleutherius. The three of them may have settled on the island in the river Seine where Notre Dame was later erected.
In the year 250, the emperor Decius issued an edict ordering everyone in the empire to burn incense to the Roman gods and the emperor. Some Christians complied; others went into hiding, and some openly refused to perform the sacrifice. Denis, along with Rusticus and Eleutherius, may have been among those who refused and were executed. Or maybe they were executed because of their success at converting people to Christianity. Allegedly, Montmartre, the traditional place of their martyrdom, comes from the Latin expression Mons Martyrum (Martyr’s Hill); some reject this etymology as fanciful.
According to tradition, Denis collapsed after hiking (while carrying his head in his hands) some six miles north of downtown Paris. In the fifth or sixth century, his final resting place became a shrine, and a chapel was built. During the twelfth century, the impressive Saint Denis Basilica was erected on the spot.
Denis is the patron of Paris, and his basilica is often the burial place for France’s royalty. In the Roman Catholic tradition, he is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers—saints whose intercession is believed to be particularly effective against specific diseases. Denis’s special charism is to help people suffering from headaches.
Collect for Denis
Almighty God, we remember before you the life and ministry of your servant Denis, who even in the most extreme of circumstances, continued to preach the good news of your redemption and love. Grant us faithful companions on our journey to you, that we may encourage each other in our earthly pilgrimage with your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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258 comments on “Clare vs. Denis”
As much as I like St Clare, I'm drawn to Denis for his involvement in Roman history and his patronage of headache sufferers. Now I know whom to entreat next time I have a migraine! Also, cephalophore is an amazing word.
I picked Denis because I love Paris and I loved that he got his head cut off and is now the patron saint of headaches!!
I find the idea of a headless person walking around carrying said head somewhat frightening and could lead to cart pile-ups and near-miss collisions as folks rubberneck to see such a sight. So no to St. Denis the Menace for me!
Denis for me this morning to honor the people of Paris who have been through so much lately.
St. Clare is the patron saint of television. How cool is that?
Really? The least likely person to watch television (unless it's EWTN).
As a migraineur, I must vote for Denis. I would love to see his picture on a bottle of sumatriptan.
Absolutely Katherine!! (That's my prescription too!)
I have a feeling that Clare is going to take it... and she's a good one for sure, and i admire her. But St. Denise was one of my parents' favourite churches, and when i was growing up they would point out his picture in museums, and tell us his story - with all the gory and fun bits described with drama (they did this for quite a few people, thus making art museums infinitely fascinating for their small children). Also, for those having doubts about the walking decapitated, there was recently a verified report of a chef being bitten by a snake whose head had been separated from the rest of itsself.... so with a joyful nod to my sainted and crazy-wonderful parents, a vote for the underdog, and with many questions about this ambulatory decapitated thing... a vote for the guy with 'his head tucked underneath his arm.'
How could you not vote for the guy who carried his own head?
Denis, Rusticus and Eleutherius walked into a bar . . . and next thing we know out came Denis with his head in his hands. Madness reigns today! I pick Denis just for that incredible feat! Will his Golden Halo hover over his neck or his head?
Je suis Paris.
Bien dit et Amen.
Last summer I was in Florence, Italy, and visited the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte (St. Miniato of the mountain). St. Miniato got in trouble with an Emperor who had him beheaded. He, too, picked up his head, crossed the Arno and walked up the mountain to his hermitage. A shrine was later erected there, and then the Basilica. I didn't know the word cephalophore then, but it is a cool word.
I also got to visit the church of San Damiano, which is striking in its simplicity compared to some of the other churches in Assisi. (Francis gets all the hype there.) St. Clare is looking at me from a poster on the wall above my desk as I write. She gets the vote.
How did our blogger not mention that Clare is the patron saint of television? Saving that fun fact for the Saintly Sixteen?
Tempted as I am to put head over heart this morning, I must vote for Clare. My dear friend suffers from migraines, is a devout Catholic, and Denis hasn't pulled through for her to date. Brother Sun, Sister Moon.
My vote for Denis is because of the wonderful Norman architecture cathedral in Paris, St. Denis, with which I fell in love when visiting there.
My favorite part of Lent Madness every day is reading the comments. Witty, insightful, thought provoking - I usually read them before voting. And Oliver, you're my favorite. What a wonderful Lenten tradition Lent Madness has become in our family. But each of votes his or her conscious (without ballot box stuffing, SEC).
With my head firmly attached, I vote for Claire of Assisi.
Denis' story is a little too fanciful and silly for me to bear.
Also, as my namesake, I cannot not vote for her.
Claire for the Golden Halo!!!
Amen
I had to go with Clare. Love her spunk in defying her father and sticking to her beliefs!
I love Paris in the springtime and have a bit of a headache but I have to vote for Clare because family history says my Irish grandmother belonged to a lay order of the Poor Clares and was buried in robes of the order in Ireland in the 1920s. How cool is that.
The collect for Denis swung it for me today. That decapitation can be described as 'the most extreme of circumstances' made me smile. I cannot imagine keeping my head in such extreme circumstances, never mind preaching for a good 90 minutes (assuming a speed of 4 miles per hour). And as an added bonus I learnt a wonderful new word, cephalophore.
Voting for the underdog today, due to his being the patron saint of Paris (my daughter's favorite place) and because his name is similar to mine - it's the closest I'll come to being a saint! Would love to see his basilica... and for all those who suffer headaches... Go Denis!
I would like to point out that Clare is not the only Saintly Friend that Francis had. Dominic (founder of the Dominican order and Lent Madness loser to Constance) also knew the Poor Man of Assisi and revered him.
I voted for Denis, patron saint of headaches--I get headaches that make me wish I could cut MY head off!
It seems so "Lent Madness" to vote for Denis...cuz it is just so dang cool to vote for somebody who walked for six miles holding his own head. Imagine the preaching...blows me away just to type that...Wouldn't you convert if some dude holding his own head is preaching Christ Crucified as he is walking along?! Denis...what an Evangelist...gets my vote.
Michael, I'm not sure you could preach with your head cut off...the image boggles the mind.! But it might make for very short sermons, which could be a blessing.
i was just thinking that it would be a great name for a dog especially a red one!!
If someone came to me talking from his he'd tucked under his arm, I would not stay to listen, I would run away as fast as possible! Still, my husband suffers from migraines, and who on earth would give television a saint? If they did, would it help?
Exactly! If it's going to be called "Lent Madness," might as well go full mad and vote for the cephalophore. It's a great story.
It's all about the mug! Gotta have one with a picture of Denis, aka "The Headless Hiker".
As a child of the South, who when being scolded was always called by her full name, Emily Clare, I had to go with Clare. Also, isn't she the patron saint of television?
I do like her determination to devote her life to God in spite of powerful male resistance. Kudos to Francis also for not putting more barriers in her way.
This should have been clear cut for me. I go to Saint Clare's. I remember, when visiting Nome, Alaska, being impressed by the story of the Poor Clares coming to provide relief there in the early 20th century when there was some epidemic there.
Then I found out that Denis is the patron saint of headaches. I've had a migraine for over two years. Botox provides relief and makes me functional but it never quite goes away. Hmmm...
I think I will still risk the wrath of Denis and go for Clare though.
Ewwww! That picture of Denis did it for me...I voted for Clare.
Gotta vote for the guy that can carry his own head six miles!
Denis it is! He's my favorite old woman, I mean, man, from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Am I silly or serious today? I wish I'd known about St. Denis during the headache I had for 40 years. Alas he either never helped me or it took 40 years. So my vote goes to Clare.