After the heady days of Nominationtide, and the submission of hundreds and hundreds of saintly nominations, the Supreme Executive Committee is pleased to release the highly anticipated 2020 Lent Madness bracket. Following their Spring Retreat, held in a secure, undisclosed coffee shop where Herculean amounts of single origin coffee was consumed, the SEC whittled down the field to 32 saints who will compete for the coveted Golden Halo.
This year, All Brackets' Day just happens to fall, appropriately enough, on All Saints' Sunday. Which means that people everywhere will have something to talk about at coffee hour, besides critiquing the preacher's sermon. Let the bracketological conversations, feuds, and smack-talk ensue!
All Brackets' Day also completes the Autumn Triduum (which will surely appear in subsequent Prayer Book revisions) consisting of All Saints' Day (November 1), All Souls' Day (November 2), and All Brackets' Day (November 3).
But enough of this preamble. Let's get to the 2020 bracket!
This year’s saints include heavyweights such as Patrick, Harriet Tubman, Clare of Assisi, Hildegaard of Bingen, Joseph, and Jude, along with many lesser known yet equally inspiring people of faith. Here's the bracket (click for a bigger version).
As a reminder, or if your new to this wacky online devotion, here’s how Lent Madness works: on the weekdays of Lent, information is posted at www.lentmadness.org about two different saints. Each pairing remains open for 24 hours as participants read about and then vote to determine which saint moves on to the next round. Sixteen saints make it to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen; eight advance to the Round of the Elate Eight; four make it to the Faithful Four; two to the Championship; and the winner is awarded the Golden Halo.
The first round consists of basic biographical information about each of the 32 saints. Things get a bit more interesting in the subsequent rounds as we offer quotes and quirks, explore legends, and even move into the area of saintly kitsch.
Unlike professional and collegiate sporting events, there is no admission cost for Lent Madness, but souvenirs and study aids are available in the Lentorium. The Saintly Scorecard: The Official Guide to Lent Madness 2020 is now available as are Bracket posters. Although Lent Madness doesn't officially kick off until Ash Thursday, February 27, you're encouraged to order your Lent Madness materials now while supplies last (seriously, we tend to run out of these things in the run-up to Lent). Plus they make AMAZING stocking stuffers. With just 114 shopping days until Ash Thursday, it's not too soon to start loading up!
Twelve “celebrity bloggers” from across the country have been tapped to write for the project: the Rev. Amber Belldene of San Francisco, CA; the Rev. Laurie Brock of Lexington, KY; Anna Fitch Courie of Columbia, SC; Dr. David Creech of Moorhead, MN; the Rev. Megan Castellan of Ithaca, NY; Miguel Escobar of Brooklyn, NY; Neva Rae Fox of Somerville, NJ; the Rev. David Hansen of Woodlands, TX; Carol Howard Merrit of Chattanooga, TN; Emily McFarlan Miller of Chicago, IL; Dr. Sandra Montes of New York, NY; and the Rev. David Sibley of Walla Walla, WA. Information about each of the celebrity bloggers and the rest of the team is available on the Lent Madness website.
As you revel in the joys of All Brackets' Day, join Tim and Scott for a special Facebook Live Bracket Release Party at 8:00 pm EST on the Lent Madness Facebook page. Happy Lent!
220 comments on “Happy All Brackets' Day!”
Love this and can't wait to start anew! One problem though: You listed Ash Thursday....we celebrate Ash Wednesday here in Maine! Is this something new????
Just a nicer way to refer to "the Thursday after Ash Wednesday."
Looking forward to the 2020 bracket! Also- Is big lent still watching? Hope so! I had left-clicked on "comments feed" and the HTML page for this particular page that I am leaving the comment on came up instead of the comments feed which was quite strange. Hopefully, the SEC doesn't have anyone out there headed into Lenten purple darkness already due to hacking and it's only a bug! That might be something that needs to be checked out though. Also- although I had gone to the Facebook page at 6:05 Mountain Time which would have been 8:05 Eastern there wasn't anything live.
As the times they did change yesterday
To my ears came a distant “Hooray!
Let us scream! Let us shout!
The new bracket is out!”
So I hid in my bed ’til today.
Good one! I am sure I am not the only one looking forward to your Saintly Limericks again this year!
I know that "mostly" is an important modifier, but how did James the Less end up in "Mostly Modern?" That's a pretty expansive view of modernity!
That's obvious, eh? The Supreme Executive Committee could not resist pitting More against Less.
I must say I'm disappointed my suggestion of Aelred didn't make the cut, but I'm sure it will still be a wonderful cast of characters!
Battle of the 'Beths! Awesome!
This is going to be a tough Lenten season. Some of my favorites will be vying for my vote.
I order one $3 bracket for myself, and I greatly enjoy the whole adventure with the saints. But your automatic postage figuring in the checkout costs three times what the bracket does. I complained last year and was charged a more reasonable fee. Can you please build it into the system?
Juliana of Liège all the way! Not only because we share a name but also because she championed the Feast of Corpus Christi. If not Juliana, then Mesrop Mashtots, who has the best name ever.
Plus she is from Belgium!
Plus she is from Belgium!
Juliana of Liège all the way! Not only because we share a name but also because she championed the Feast of Corpus Christi. If not Juliana, then Mesrop Mashtots, who has the best name ever.
Bishop Holly for the win! Haiti needs something good to happen right about now.
Bishop Holly for the win! Haiti needs something good to happen right about now.
Felix vs. Oscar? Seriously? (No, not seriously.)
Also, the Archangel Gabriel should be disqualified on a technicality. I look forward to voting for the human being who opposes him in any round.
I see your point - he has a halo already. But as he is our patron (St. Gabriel's, Marion, MA) I am behind him all the way. Who cannot treasure the herald of such great joy?
HI, Sue! I am with you having grown up at St. Gabriel's!
HI, Sue! I am with you having grown up at St. Gabriel's!
"For the saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one, too."
I sang your comment.
I sang your comment.
"For the saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one, too."
Say hello to Fr. Eric from me!
Say hello to Fr. Eric from me!
I see your point - he has a halo already. But as he is our patron (St. Gabriel's, Marion, MA) I am behind him all the way. Who cannot treasure the herald of such great joy?
Yes, Angles are a different order of being than people. Much as I love Gabriel,
I'll vote for the real person.
Yes, Angles are a different order of being than people. Much as I love Gabriel,
I'll vote for the real person.
Felix vs. Oscar? Seriously? (No, not seriously.)
Also, the Archangel Gabriel should be disqualified on a technicality. I look forward to voting for the human being who opposes him in any round.
Melania vs Hilary? Felix vs Oscar?
You've outdone yourselves...gonna be a fascinating Lent!
Nobody has mentioned Aloysius of Gonzaga vs Thomas of Villanova. What, aren't there any college basketball fans here?
Also, I think I nominated Hugh of Lincoln for years and he was never chosen. Then this year I didn't -- and naturally he was picked! (Or maybe it was Hugh of Cluny, who was picked recently).
Nobody has mentioned Aloysius of Gonzaga vs Thomas of Villanova. What, aren't there any college basketball fans here?
Also, I think I nominated Hugh of Lincoln for years and he was never chosen. Then this year I didn't -- and naturally he was picked! (Or maybe it was Hugh of Cluny, who was picked recently).
Melania vs Hilary? Felix vs Oscar?
You've outdone yourselves...gonna be a fascinating Lent!
Yes! Hugh of Lincoln is finally in the bracket! Go Hugh!
Yes! Hugh of Lincoln is finally in the bracket! Go Hugh!
Tried to pre-order a 10 package of booklets and a large bracket poster. The order site would not allow me to do so. What's up ?
I tried to order a packet of 10 books and had the same experience. The website said, "item removed," even though I had just tired to order it. Please check software. Thanks!
I tried to order a packet of 10 books and had the same experience. The website said, "item removed," even though I had just tired to order it. Please check software. Thanks!
Should be working now. Sorry for the hiccup. We blame, as with everything, supply chain issues.
Or maybe too much coffee
Or maybe too much coffee
Should be working now. Sorry for the hiccup. We blame, as with everything, supply chain issues.
Tried to pre-order a 10 package of booklets and a large bracket poster. The order site would not allow me to do so. What's up ?
Go Hugh of Lincoln. Go Hilda of Whitby. There, that's the end of their chances!
Go Hugh of Lincoln. Go Hilda of Whitby. There, that's the end of their chances!
I’m rooting for Teresa of Avila. She’s been here twice before. This might be her year. “Let nothing disturb you”.
Well, if Origen can't catch a break, then William Ellery Channing has no hope: he denied the Trinity altogether.
I'm with you Jeff! The interior Castle - all the way 😉
I'm with you Jeff! The interior Castle - all the way 😉
I’m rooting for Teresa of Avila. She’s been here twice before. This might be her year. “Let nothing disturb you”.
I am already rooting for Sor Juana de la Cruz: "poet, dramatist, scholar, and nun, an outstanding writer of the Latin American colonial period and of the Hispanic Baroque."
My preferred runner up is Kateri Takawitha, the Lily of the Mohawks-- because it is so important to relearn the history with Indigenous people at the center. If we find her story disturbing, it is a call for repentance and reorientation!
I am already rooting for Sor Juana de la Cruz: "poet, dramatist, scholar, and nun, an outstanding writer of the Latin American colonial period and of the Hispanic Baroque."
My preferred runner up is Kateri Takawitha, the Lily of the Mohawks-- because it is so important to relearn the history with Indigenous people at the center. If we find her story disturbing, it is a call for repentance and reorientation!
For those of us Lent Madhatters who are blind it would be good if you could post the bracket in form which voice over computers can read. All I can get is a pdf that says Lent madness bracket.. How about a lit with the pairings indicated. Tom Van Brunt
For those of us Lent Madhatters who are blind it would be good if you could post the bracket in form which voice over computers can read. All I can get is a pdf that says Lent madness bracket.. How about a lit with the pairings indicated. Tom Van Brunt
Wenceslaus vs Stephen? That will be an earworm all day.
Wenceslaus vs Stephen? That will be an earworm all day.