Ever since Florence Nightingale was crowned with the 2017 Golden Halo, the anticipation over the 2018 Lent Madness bracket has been nearly unquenchable. Nominationtide produced a flurry of saintly suggestions from all over the the globe which were narrowed down at the Supreme Executive Committee's secretive spring retreat.
Following last week's bracket leak at the nefarious hands of the international hacking organization LentiLeaks, tensions were running high as the SEC prepared to release the official bracket. Fortunately increased cyber security prevented further leaks and we have arrived at All Brackets' Day with the bracket -- and the integrity of Lent Madness -- intact.
Longtime Lent Madness fans will be intrigued to discover that this year's bracket [click on the image to enlarge it] is broken up into four quadrants of similarly grouped saints. These include: 1) Biblical Saints 2) Monastics & Martyrs 3) Mostly Modern and 4) Miscellaneous. Who says the SEC isn't open to innovation and the movement of the Holy Spirit?!
One common complaint we hear on All Brackets' Day was recently echoed by an anonymous killjoy who happened past the Lentorium. "Why do you have to talk about Lent? It's not even Advent yet!" Well, besides the fact that the All Saints' - All Souls' - All Brackets' triduum is ALL ABOUT SAINTS, it's because we are in the perpetual Lent business. If this "season creep" causes you anxiety, we suggest turning off the Wi-Fi in your home until Lent Madness begins on Ash Thursday (February 15).
We do hope you enjoy this annual festival of bracketology and we have two suggestions (besides Googling all the saints you've never heard of) to help you prepare for the Madness that is to come:
And remember, it's never too early to wish one another a Happy Lent!
50 comments on “All Brackets' Day has Arrived!”
I have often had a hacking episode after eating lentils.
We'll, I'm ready..
Looks like fun. Looking forward to another great year. See you then.
I love that you are using St. Gregory's Dancing Saints. I don't love that it is making me homesick for San Francisco.
It has been a great triduum for me: attended a beautiful Evensong on Wednesday, baked Soul Cakes with grandchildren yesterday, and today's release of the bracket. I don't think it could have been a better three days!
I may be one of those 'Nothing Christmas until after Thanksgiving' militants, but I am just fine with All Brackets Day. Makes sense to me! I hope someone catches those blasted Lentileakers!
Hooray for Phoebe the Deacon! 😀
Thomas a Kempis is also one of my favorite writers.
Lots of interesting and inspiring folks represented - several names I don't know - I look forward to learning about them. Thanks for putting this together.
Another cradle Anabaptist (oxymoron!) who has dived into Episcopal waters. Loved Lenten
Madness last year and have tried to spread the word. I just want to say, for the future, can
we not have at least one or several Celtic Christian saints? Someone mentioned Brigid of
Kildare, but there are others (beyond Patrick). But maybe they have been featured many times
in Lemts before? Volens- nolens, I love this alternative to March Madness!
I like the artwork, but I find it confusing that it includes saints that are not in the brackets. The mind naturally assumes that the saints listed above in the brackets will be in the pictures below. But that is not the case.
Charles I?
Stuart?
Habsburg?
In either case, strange nominee.
I love Lent Madness. Each year I introduce it to more people. I can hardly wait. I have already ordered score cards and brackets.
Very interesting mix this year --- looking forward to Lent already
Brilliant idea to group the saints in category quadrants! Should help prevent the modern ones from always beating out the ancient weird ones! Well done! 🙂
Yay! Happy All Brackets' Day! Like the new groupings. Looking forward to Lent!
Love the dancing saints! Looking forward to Ash Thursday.
You guys rock!! I noticed several of my favorites in the four categories.
Peter and Paul in the first round? C’mon. Really?
And it’s NOT Eleanor Roosevelt. Huh.
Richard Hooker for the win!!!
Like the idea of quadrants. Looking forward to the battle.