Today marks the last matchup of a full week of saintly action! Raymond Nonnatus, a 13th century Spaniard, takes on John of Nepomuk, the 14th century patron saint of Czechoslovakia.
Yesterday, in the closest vote of Lent Madness 2017 to date, Odo of Cluny held off Theodore the Studite 52% to 48%. Odo will advance to the Saintly Sixteen where he'll face Mechtild of Magdeburg.
One point we want to stress before you start pulling levers for Raymond or John. You should know that our fabulous Celebrity Bloggers are kept to strict word counts on their write-ups. Of course so much more could be said about each saint presented in Lent Madness. If you're curious about learning more about a particular holy soul, we encourage you to dive deeper! Often additional information gleaned by participants is shared in the comments sections below each post. Feel free to share tidbits and resources with your fellow Lent Madness pilgrims. In the next round, the Saintly Sixteen, we get into Quirks and Quotes (either by or about said saint). So fear not. The further a saint advances, the more information you'll be given. [Here endeth the Lent Madness lesson].
Those of you who read the comments will be very familiar with Oliver--Nine Years Old. Well, we are pleased to report that Oliver's mom sent us this picture of the boy himself, posing in front of the pictorial bracket he created for his home church, St. John's in Stamford, CT.
We'll see everybody bright and early on Monday morning for the Battle of the Augustines™ as Augustine of Canterbury squares off against Augustine of Hippo.
Raymond Nonnatus
Raymond Nonnatus lived in thirteenth-century Spain, and his nickname “Nonnatus” refers to his birth. Traditions agree he was delivered via Caesarean section, and so was “not born” (according to the scientific understanding of medieval Europe).
We don’t know much for certain but gather that Nonnatus was either the rebellious son of a local count or a local shepherd’s child. Either way, tradition says he spent his childhood tending sheep and liked to spend his spare time praying in his local church.
According to one story, Nonnatus convinced his father to let him join a group of monks in Barcelona. Called the Mercedarian order, these men were devoted to freeing Christians from slavery around the world.
After emancipating 140 slaves in Valencia, then another 250 slaves in Algiers, Nonnatus ran into trouble in Tunis—or rather, the ransom money ran out. So, Nonnatus surrendered himself as payment, winning the freedom of 28 captives. His captors, according to legend, bored a hole through his lips with a red-hot poker and padlocked his mouth shut to prevent Nonnatus from preaching. His Mercedarian brothers came to his aid and paid his ransom so that he could return to Spain. Impressively, he clung to life for several more months before dying in 1240 in Castle Cordona, near Barcelona.
After his death, Nonnatus’s popularity flourished—literally, everyone wanted a piece of him, with the count and the townsfolk of Castle Cordona and the Mercedarians all laying claim to his body. To settle the dispute, it was decided to put his body on the back of a blind mule, let the mule wander loose, and see where the mule decided Nonnatus should be laid to rest. The mule proceeded to the chapel where Nonnatus had spent so many of his childhood hours in prayer—and there he was buried. Nonnatus is celebrated as the patron saint of midwives, expectant mothers, and newborn babies—which is why the Anglican order in the novel and popular television program Call the Midwife is named Nonnatus House. Nonnatus and his locked lips remind us of the seal of the confessional, the falsely accused, and those wounded by gossip.
Collect for Raymond Nonnatus
God of all light and life, you knit together birth and death in beautiful mystery: Grant us, through the example of your servant Raymond, whose death was punishment for the lifegiving ministry he proclaimed as an emancipator, the courage to be reconciled to you and the world, through Jesus Christ our only Mediator and Advocate, who dwells with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.
John of Nepomuk
John of Nepomuk (also called John Nepomucene) was born around 1345 in Bohemia, part of the modern-day Czech Republic. He studied at the University of Prague and later at the University of Padua, eventually becoming the vicar-general of St. Gilles Cathedral (St. Gilles Church) in Prague.
It is believed that King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia (not the Good King Wenceslas—this Wenceslaus was definitely not good) engaged in a feud with John over the appointment of a new abbot. John appointed an abbot to the abbey at Kladruby whom the king opposed. On the night of March 20, 1393, John was thrown into the Vltava River and drowned.
Eventually the story was told like this: King Wenceslaus suspected that his wife had a lover. Because John of Nepomuk was her confessor, the king ordered him to reveal the name of her lover, but to no avail. As punishment, the king ordered John to be drowned. Because of this legend, John of Nepomuk is considered the first martyr of the seal of the confessional and a patron against slanderers. Because of the way he died, he’s also considered a protector from floods and drowning.
John of Nepomuk is typically represented with a halo of five stars, commemorating the stars that hovered over the Vltava River on the night of his martyrdom. Sometimes his figure is accompanied by an angel indicating silence with a finger placed over the lips.
Collect for John of Nepomuk
Merciful and forgiving God, we thank you for the gifts of confession, absolution, and reconciliation; for without them, we are without remedy and solace in our sin and shame. Thank you for the life of your servant John of Nepomuk, who upheld the seal of the confessional even unto death, for the sake of your love. Grant that we might have such zeal and conviction in our own day, to the honor and glory of our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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301 comments on “Raymond Nonnatus vs. John of Nepomuk”
Loved that John kept the seal of the confessional but Call the Midwife proved too strong a pull and my vote went to Nonnatus.
I voted for the blind mule, who took Raymond home.
I voted for Nonnatus as I was given such good care in London in 1959, when my husband was a poor student and I was pregnant! I really identify with "Call the Midwife"!
Diana, I so appreciate your delightful poems! Thank you for the effort you put into them. . . .and Oliver! Yet another 'delight' I've received today, putting a face to the young 'wisdom speaker!' Bless you Oliver's mother, and blessings on all Lent Madness participants.
I'm off to research where Raymond is buried, so I can visit when I next go to see my daughter who lives near Barcelona.......
Got to give the nod to Raymond with a shout out to Oliver. Raymond has a ritual centered around the padlock that is part of his martyrdom. Locks are placed at his altar to stop gossip, rumors, false testimonies and bad talk. They are also used to keep secrets, stop cursing or lying and to guard priests defending the confidentiality of confession. After placing a lock the person takes a seat in the main bench, for all to see.
This ritual is what persuaded me to vote for Raymond Nonnatus-and for all those who have been wounded by gossip/spreading secrets. Also to honor a friend who had a baby by c-section. I also liked "Call the Midwife."
One more thought. . .It appears that Oliver's halo has slipped a bit! (chuckles)
Since you solved the mystery of who Nonnatus House was named for how could I vote for anyone but him?
Sorry but I understood the story about John not revealing the confessional was declared false in 1961 and he was killed because he was dying from the consequences of torture and the drowning was an attempt to cover it up.
So John was in effect tortured to death? Sounds even worse than drowning. More props to him for not yielding to the torture; presumably he could have ended it by violating the confidentiality.
What a dilemma... Both were important saints in Spanish Colonial New Mexico... Both symbolize the seal of the confessional... Saving mothers and freeing slaves or protection from drowning? Nonnatus it is!
I was already leaning toward Raymond because of his giving himself as a ransom for slaves but the blind mule story sealed the deal! And I too enjoyed seeing the picture of Oliver. Thanks to Oliver's mom!
I cast my lot for John because he seems to need it. 😉 St. Cecilia's comment was also very persuasive. Lastly, there was a post that's suggested this year's saints were possibly "too obscure", and that the poster just was "not feeling the love".
Funny... it's for the fact that Lent Madness has introduced me to so many lesser-known saints, the least of the great cloud of witnesses, that I've come to appreciate Lent Madness so much. (Shout Out & Big Ups to the S.E.C.!)
I was reminded of how God's great love is demonstrated by his caring for little birds that lose flight and to the extent of counting the hairs on our heads. May my heart learn to be so kind and compassionate.
Oops! Apologies for misspelling "St. Celia".
🙂 I will dedicate an hour of piano practice to you. If there were emojis in WordPress, I would give you a fist pump and a heart.
Can't resist voting for the Saint of my childhood parish.. Saint John Nepomucene which was built and maintained by Bohemian immigrants including my mother's family.
Can't resist voting for St. John Nepomucene the patron saint of my Chicago childhood parish. It was built and maintained by Bohemian immigrants like my mother's family. I'm still a member of the Czech Catholic Women's Society that was housed there years ago.
Barb, I was going to post the same thing. I never really knew much about St. John Nepomucene until I read this post. I'm proud to be Bohemian! Unfortunately, I don't think he will win this round, but I was happy to finally see him in Lenten Madness!
So glad to see the picture of Oliver. Hope it will inspire parents to encourage their children to join in. A great way to get to know the saints for young and old alike. I voted for Robert for his dedication to freeing slaves and that the mule took him back to where he spent so many hours in prayer.
I voted for Raymond because I thought some of the stories about John were more legend than truth. Thanks to Oliver's mother for the photo of her handsome and perceptive son. I thought both Collects today were extraordinarily beautiful. Thank you, Megan Castellan and Hugo Olaiz.
As a former labor and delivery nurse I have to vote for Raymond! And yes, please call the Midwife!
Three of my four sons were born by C-section, so I had to go with Nonnatus. Also, found him the more interesting of the two. The padlock on the lips really got to me!
Nonnatus: freer of slaves, survivor of Caesarian section, patron saint of midwives (and hopefully chaplains who minister to them and their patients)
Some followers of St. Francis of Assissi were told to enter a new town and preach the Gospel to its people--and if absolutely necessary, to use words.
I love Call the Midwife! And besides, freeing slaves is still crucially needed.
Please allow Oliver the choice of being a deeply spiritual Christian who might be called to any number of professions. We need people of faith in many roles.
As a mother, I am inclined to vote for Raymond and the midwives. But as a priest who has vowed to honor the seal of confession, I vote for John, who honored it to the end.
This is for Oliver. Great to see your photo - thanks to your Mom. I enjoy your posts and your enthusiasm.
Can't bring myself to cast a vote for either of these on the basis of their fanciful, hagiographical bios. If Lent Madness does not give us better "candidates," I think I'll have to sign off.
Have never seen Call the Midwife and am not interested in beginning to watch that, but feel that we All need to be freed at sometime or other so voted for Raymond tho' "Silence Is golden".
Sorry about Mr. Neverborn but the misconception that you can end slavery by buying up all the slaves persisted into historic times!
I agree with you, Dr Paul. While Raymond Nonnatus did help many enslaved individuals at great cost to himself, he did not really change the system. John Nepomuk did, again at great cost to himself, uphold an important precept within the Church's sacrament of confession and reconciliation. John kept a good system going, while Raymond did not really affect the system he (and we) oppose. So my vote goes to John of Nepomuk, who kept the promise and seal of the confessional.
There is a church dedicated to St John Nepomunk near my home in an area of our city that was heavily settled by Czech immigrants. I am glad to learn about him, even though I voted for Nonnatus!
Voted for Raymond, my husband's middle name and he freed the slaves!!
As a huge fan of Call the Midwife, how could I not vote for Raymond Nonnatus. Glad to learn the origin of his name
While John sets an example for maintaining the seal of confession as well as against gossip, Raymond's actions and perseverance in freeing the slaves wins my vote.
And a word to Oliver: It's so nice to have a face to put with your words! I appreciate your dedication to Lent Madness and know your parents must be so proud!
My beloved youngest grandson is a "nonnatus", and I am the retired director of a Healthy Families program. Had to be Raymond!
As a die-hard fan of "Call the Midwife", Raymond Nonnatus got my vote even before I read the biographies!