We're back for another full week of saintly thrills and spills! Today, Emma of Hawaii takes on Hugh of Lincoln. With just three battles left in the First Round, we'll be on to the Saintly Sixteen on Thursday. Seriously.
On Friday, Juliana of Liege defeated Blaise 60% to 40% (insert joke about Juliana being cut throat).
Check back later today as Tim and Scott will surely bring you another madcap, yet subtly informative, episode of Monday Madness. In the meantime, go vote!
Emma of Hawai’i
In Hawaiian, aloha means many things. It is the spirit of welcome, the spirit of the islands, the spirit of love. Aloha is what we share between each other. Aloha is all that God calls us to be to each other in our Christian lives. Queen Emma shares the spirit of aloha in her life.
Queen Emalani Kalanikaumakaʻamano Kaleleonālani Naʻea Rooke was born to High Chief George Na’ea and High Chieftess Fanny Kekelaokalani (members of the royal family of Hawai’i) on January 2, 1836, in Honolulu. In the tradition of the time, Emalani was adopted by her aunt and uncle and raised in a cross-cultural family. She was a gifted vocalist, equestrian, and scholar. On June 19, 1856, Emalani married Prince Alexander Liholiho, who would later be crowned King Kamehameha IV.
Queen Emalani and Kamehameha IV were greatly in love. Due to their cross-cultural upbringing, both had been influenced by the Church of England. Emalani petitioned the Church of England to establish the Church of Hawai’i in 1860, and Anglicanism formally arrived on the islands. Emalani and Kamehameha were baptized into the church, and Emalani changed her name to Emma in reverence.
Emma and Kamehameha had one child together, Prince Albert, whose godmother was Queen Victoria of England. However, Prince Albert died of a brain fever at the age of four. A year later, Kamehameha IV also died, and Emma was left childless and a widow. In her grief, Emma called on the spirit of aloha to guide her on. Through fundraising, humanitarian efforts, and philanthropy, Emma established St. Andrew’s Cathedral, St. Andrew’s Priory for Girls, the Iolani School for Boys, and the Queen’s Hospital, all of which still exist today and provide world-class care and education for the people of the islands. At its founding, St. Andrew’s Priory for Girls was committed to offering the same quality of education for girls as for boys, a rarity in that time.
The Episcopal Church recognizes Emma as a saint for her works of aloha for the people of Hawai’i. She passed away on April 25, 1885, and her estate was left to establish the Queen Emma Foundation for scholarships for the people of Hawai’i and to maintain the Queen’s Hospital. Her feast day (along with her husband) is November 28.
Collect for Emma of Hawai’i
O God, who called your servant Emma to an earthly throne that she might advance your heavenly kingdom, and gave her zeal for your church and love for your people: Mercifully grant that we also may be fruitful in good works, and attain to the glorious crown of your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Hugh of Lincoln
Seemingly few bishops are remembered first and foremost for their deep anchor in solitude, silence, and stillness, which is why Hugh of Lincoln holds a fitting place in the church’s calendar of saints.
In 1180, King Henry II of England had a problem. He famously, and later to his deep regret, was responsible for the martyrdom of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. In penance, Henry decided to establish England’s first house for the Carthusian monastic order in Witham, Somerset. The road was rocky—the first two priors had little success. At the recommendation of a French noble, Henry II sent a legate to the principal Carthusian monastery; he asked for Hugh, a 40-year-old man of noble and wealthy birth turned to a life of silent and prayerful contemplation, to head the new monastery at Witham.
Upon arrival at Witham, Hugh found not only a lack of monastic buildings but also a lack of compensation for the people to be evicted from their lands in order to build the monastery. Hugh refused to take up his charge until the people were fully compensated.
Hugh’s quiet humility and lack of self-regard enabled him to be a tireless champion for the church and the people under its care—and gave him the political capital to intercede with three kings for the church, Henry II, Richard I, and John, all while maintaining good relations.
Hugh was elected and appointed as bishop of Lincoln in 1186, filling a see that had been vacant for nearly eighteen years. He undertook major reforms that restored pious discipline among the clergy. Hugh is remembered for inciting others to divine love while being full of gentle talk and fun. He was, according to one account, a particular fan of puns and wordplay. He is remembered for his forceful advocacy for those in his care. He provided a personal and spirited defense of Jews in his diocese during a period of persecution; he stood for his people over and against greed of royal foresters, and he refused to raise money for the king’s wars. Yet his personal humility and charity of spirit prevailed for the people of God. Richard I said of him that, “If all bishops were like my Lord of Lincoln, not a prince among us could lift his head against them.”
Collect for Hugh of Lincoln
Holy God, who endowed your servant Hugh of Lincoln with wise and cheerful boldness, and taught him to commend
the discipline of holy life to kings and princes: Grant that we also, rejoicing in the Good News of your mercy, and fearing nothing but the loss of you, may be bold to speak the truth in love, in the name of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
105 comments on “Emma of Hawai’i vs. Hugh of Lincoln”
Darn! Another tough one.
I really, really wanted to vote for Queen Emma in honor of my daughter, who lives in Honolulu, but Hugh of Lincoln won me by his consideration for those facing eviction and his defense of persecuted people. And to work so hard on behalf of those without power while living with gusto and keeping a sense of humility... he's a saint, for sure.
And a sense of humor!
Both are worthy and one of those days when I wished I could vote for both. But Hugh got my vote because of his consistent advocacy for and protection of people at the margins -- those whose land the King had taken for the monastery, the people of the Diocese versus the King's foresters, and, in a time when Anti-Semitism was the norm among Christians, the Jews. I'm also moved by his refusal to support the King's wars (would that Patriarch Kirill of Moscow had such wisdom!) and, not to mention his love of wordplay.
Although it was a tough choice and I voted for Emma, I would have voted for Hugh if he had used limericks in his sermons.
He has a naked man in his chalice. Sermons were "limerick optional."
I can't help but think of what outrageousness Terry Gilliam (the animator for Monty Python) might have come up with based on Hugh's portrait from today's write-up.
The mind boggles…
I was all set to vote for Emma. We lived in Hawai'i for four years when Bishop Browning was Bishop of Hawai'i (later he was Presiding Bishop).
But I was swayed by Hughes story, plus I had not heard it before. Since a main goal for my Lent Madness this year is to learn about more saints I voted for Hugh.
Another duo of compelling candidates today. I voted for Hugh of Lincoln for his qualities and also because of his underdog status so far. I will be happy to see either win.
Tough choice, again. Thank you for helping us learn about these deserving, amazing people who walked the path of Christ.
I guess I’m not voting today, since the site won’t allow me to. Admin, please fix the site so everyone can vote. I’ll try back later.
My Dad, who died at 93 in 2018, never stopped talking about his wonderful experiences at Iolani High School in the early 1940s. In his honor, I had to vote for Emma.
Emma! Honestly she accomplished so much, through her grief, in her 22 years following her husband's death, that I almost wonder why they share the feast day. However, they shared in bringing the Anglican Church to Hawai'i -- Kamehameha IV was also the first to translate the Book of Common Prayer into Hawaiian -- and focused on strengthening ties with Britain and Europe over the U.S. in part because of his experience of racial discrimination while crossing the US by train with his uncle (King K III) in 1850: "I found he was the conductor, and took me for somebody's servant just because I had a darker skin than he had. Confounded fool;. the first time that I have ever received such treatment, not in England or France or anywhere else........In England an African can pay his fare and sit alongside Queen Victoria. The Americans talk and think a great deal about their liberty, and strangers often find that too many liberties are taken of their comfort just because his hosts are a free people." (from his travel journal via Wikipedia)
The Cathedral, the schools, the hospital along with other public health policies and agencies, though -- all Emma's doing.
It is personal for me as I'm 3rd-generation Hawai'i born and raised. My pioneering great-grandparents were loyal to the monarchy enough to have the nerve to give my grandfather, their firstborn pure haole child, the middle name Kamehameha. My daughter Emma would like to think she is named after the good Queen, but we just liked the name. However, she has my great aunt's middle name, Kūʻokoʻa -- independence -- from Hawaiian Independence Day, the day when England and France recognized the Hawaiian Kingdom as a sovereign nation: November 28, now the feast day of Kamehameha and Emma!
I'll stop my island reverie now and get back to things here on the east coast. Hugh sounds quite interesting and worthy; I hope he'll be in the brackets again in the future.
Kamehameha notes that "freedom" has always been a term of irony in the U.S. James Baldwin observed that the first word any immigrant to the U.S. would learn was the "n" word.
Today I really wanted to vote for the both of them. I went with Emma, partly because I think Hugh would vote for Emma, too, perhaps praising her pois. Thanks for two beautiful blogs and a feast of thought food
Hugh doesn't need poi, having that beautiful goose being prepared for foie gras.
Actually Hugh's companion is a swan. I couldn't find any recipes for foie gras de cygne, but here's an interesting piece on the paucity of swan culinary offerings worldwide and some of the reasons why (for instance, in the UK all wild swans are the property of the queen).
http://modernfarmer.com/2014/05/come/
I married this guy because he knows stuff like this. 😀
Surely the School of Theology at Swanee: the University of the South should have many recipes for swan tarts, swan pie, and swanbled eggs and bacon, along with an annual fry for those little prawns called swanpi.
The collect for Hugh sealed the deal for me as I pray that the heads of churches and organizations and countries and leaders of all, take heart in his work and let us deal with each other with equal, human and God inspired love.
Hugh defended Jews in 12th century England, saw that nobody got cheated by a land grab, survived that whole Lion in Winter family, cared for the sick, was pious. . . (And liked to pun.) We all want to go (back) to Hawaii, but really, Hugh is my vote.
I voted for Emma because she turned personal tragedy into a future for her people. I am mindful that western Christianity often did not value nor honor traditions of the Hawaiian people, but Emma is an admirable disciple. William of Lincoln had much to recommend him as well. This was a difficult match-up.
You had me at "spirited defense of Jews." And then "stood for the people against greed"! And "refused to [shake down the people to] impose imposts for war"! And finally, he LIKES PUNS. I voted for Lincoln; won't hugh?
No, but hugh know I would like to learn more about him.
Trickey choice for me this morning. I sat at Hugh's table for my first Cursillo weekend and so he received my vote, although I have a tender spot for Emma after a trip to Hawaii last summer. Both could have my vote.
Oh how to choose. A female in a position of power who used it for good. Against a man who stood up for the underdog, those displaced and took on the Kings. All whilst keeping his humour. Can I not pick both. OK, Hugh it is.
I had the AloooooHA' experience in Hawaii. My mother had unexpected twins in '42 and gave me to her twin sister for 3 months. (My parent's anniversary is today--would have been 80 years.) Her sister was forced to change her name from Emma to her mother's twin sister's name. That's three consecutive sets of twins. St. Emma was a survivor and all that she established remains today. Wow! I was lured into the E church from a long line of Methodists and love the liturgics, the BCP and even the processions of the E church. I served and worked for a number of Bishops who are highly regarded. Three of them were much like Hugh where justice was called for and a good sense of humor was enjoyed. Most important to me was St. Hugh restored pious discipline among the clergy. Today's match was a tough choice as I know a number of wounded clergy. Bishops restoring the spiritual lives of clergy doesn't seem to have survived. I think only two in my husband's class made it to retirement. I voted for Emma.
Was able to vote for the first time! It was a difficult choice. Both are worthy. I guess that’s why they’re both part of this madness! Thanks for fixing the voting. I think being able to vote makes this more fun:)
I have to say, I was torn between the two, but had to vote for Hugh of Lincoln remembering reading at one time that he was a good bishop. He got down off his horse to confirm people.
Although Emma showed faith after losing her son and husband, Hugh showed the most courage, standing for those displaced by building the monastery, those oppressed by bigots, Royal foresters and also standing against raising funds for a king's prideful war.
My most difficult choice of two deserving and compelling holy ones. I am inspired to learn more about Hugh but decided upon Emma. Hugh was requested and required to do an autocrat’s bidding and made a great work of God to expiate Henry’s guilt. He probably did cause some harm and grief in the early stages of that work because he also served an oppressor. He seems ahead of his time in his understanding of Christian love.
Emma mastered overwhelming personal loss and turned it to evangelical and charitable work that continues to this day in her conquered kingdom. Ultimately she got my vote but I wish I could vote for both.
Emma and the Aloha spirit has my vote. I didn’t realize she was instrumental in the St. Andrews Cathedral in Honolulu-a beautiful house of worship. The islands still are blanketed and benefit from her blessings of Aloha.
Though I have nothing but admiration for Emma of Hawai'i, I must cast my vote for Hugh. He stood against impious clergy and war-mongering rulers, while upholding the local population and keeping his head. Would that all the clergy in Russia could find their way to do the same today!
Aloha everybody, Queen Emma today, who died on my birth date. Easter falls on the same date in 2038, hope I’m still here to celebrate! Vote is also in honor of the last trip I had with my Daddy to Hawai’i & how happy he was there.
As a Lincolnshire lass and lover of Lincoln Cathedral, Hugh had to get my vote!
My granddaughter lives in Hawaii but I had to cast my vote for Hugh (which meant that Emma would win with my record so far). He wouldn’t help the kings with money for their wars, he protected the poor from starvation, and also protected the Jews from persecution.
I like Emma because she built a school for girls, like me!
Excellent point, Joanna!
This one was really tough. I voted for Emma, but I could just as easily voted for Hugh. They are both deserving in my mind.
II have actually been in Saint Andrew's Cathedral, and knew something about Queen Emma, although I learned a lot more today. She gets my vote! Also, perhaps this is somewhat parochial and even xenophobic, since Hawaii is now a state, I consider her an American saint!
I served a church in West Kauai for five "rotations" -- several weeks at a time in a shared ministry with different retired priest. gotta vote for Emma!