The Supreme Executive Committee hereby announces the result of the most important vote of this year's General Convention, held on Lent Madness Day. Gregory the Great has defeated Gregory of Nyssa to earn a spot in the bracket for Lent Madness 2013. Gregory the Great will go up against Martin of Tours in the first round. Among people at General Convention, who voted by paper ballot, Nyssa held a lead over The Great, 73-23. However, online voters went the other way, voting for The Great over Nyssa in a landslide, 332-109. That means Gregory the Great received 355 votes, whilst Gregory of Nyssa only received 182.

In other news, the Episcopal News Service covered the Lent Madness fever which has infected General Convention. And celebrity blogger Heidi Shott, working for her home diocese of Maine, posted a video interview with the Supreme Executive Committee, in which Scott does the extraordinarily rare act of saying something nice to Tim.

In a fine piece of investigative journalism, the Supreme Executive Committee went searching for signs of Lent Madness fever at General Convention. Here are the results:

Stay turned for updates. There will be three more play-in matches before Ash Thursday, February 14, 2013. The SEC is working hard to get you through the long, dark night of non-Lenten seasons.

If you know people who are in Indianapolis, send them to the Forward Movement booth, where they can get their photo taken with Mary Magdalene. Or maybe you'd like to have Mary as your guest at a parish or diocesan event? The SEC would be pleased to bring her to you. However, we require deluxe travel and accommodations (including a purple limo).

Here at Lent Madness we believe there's a fine line between a teaser and a foretaste. Actually, in this case they're synonymous as we tease you with a foretaste of the Lent Madness 2013 that is to come. This year, we're offering four play-in matches leading up to the official 32-saint bracket that kicks off on Ash Thursday (February 14, 2013).

As Lent Madness Day is commemorated throughout the world, we give you the first ever play-in match: the Great Battle of the Gregorys: Gregory the Great vs. Gregory of Nyssa. Here's the deal -- the winning Gregory makes it into the official bracket while the losing Gregory goes home to lick his wounds and pray that he makes it in next year. We figured we'd ask two veteran Celebrity Bloggers, who just happen to be in Indianapolis for General Convention, to do the write-ups. We tried to find two people named Gregory to do this but we've settled for a Heidi and a Laura.

Heidi Shott is the Canon for Communications in the Diocese of Maine. While at convention, you can check out Heidi's three-minute nightly video Convention wrap-up at The Daily Lap. Of course at some point she'll be focusing on Lent Madness which makes Tim worried that he'll have to sit on Scott's lap.

The Rev. Laura Toepfer is also at this year's General Convention letting people know about Confirm not Conform. Check out this innovative confirmation preparation curriculum and sign up for the monthly e-newsletter. If you're at General Convention, come meet her at the Forward Movement Booth.

The play-in format is straightforward: we've asked for a Top Ten List answering the question "Why should Gregory of/the ______ be included in the 2013 bracket? For those keeping score at home, the winner will face Martin of Tours in the First Round of Lent Madness 2013.

View the full 2013 bracket here.

Gregory the Great

10 . Gregory the Great was a liturgical innovator of the 6th Century whose contributions to the order of worship endure to the present day.

9. Gregory the Great listened to the Holy Spirit and enjoyed a very interesting relationship with doves.

8. Gregory the Great was great. Everybody said so. He was canonized by popular acclaim, and John Calvin called him “the last good pope.”

7. Gregory the Great was a monk. Even after he became POPE and could have really lived it up, he eschewed a sybaritic lifestyle.

6. Gregory the Great, unlike a certain other Gregory, didn’t ride into ecclesiastical prominence on the coattails of his older brother, though he did come from a prominent family with ties to the Church. Nor was he, unlike you-know-who, virtually unremembered until the mid-20th Century when theological scholars had to dig deep into the shrouded veils of Eastern church history to find new dissertation topics.

5. Gregory the Great was into chant before chant was cool, as in Gregorian chant. (Though naming it after him a couple of hundred years after he died was a marketing move to capitalize on his venerated name in order to standardize liturgical practice across the Frankish empire.)

4. Gregory the Great is survived by a boatload of his sermons, commentaries and letters. What he had to say must have been pretty memorable and important to last 1,400 years. Just sayin’.

3. Gregory the Great was a huge advocate for the health and well-being of the poor and those displaced by war. He gave lavishly from his own substance and and became a gadfly to wealthy Romans by inducing them to give generously as well.

2.    Gregory the Great was concerned about all the churches in Christendom not just a squirty, little place called Nyssa  that only a few serious church history geeks could, if pressed, find on a map of Central Asia without looking it up on Wikipedia.

and finally....

1. Gregory the Great’s compassion for the plight of young Anglo-Saxon slaves (“Non Angli, sed angeli” -  They are not Angles, but angels) he encountered at the Roman Forum so moved him that he sent St. Augustine to England as a missionary and, well, here we are in Indianapolis.

-- Heidi Shott

Gregory of Nyssa

 10. For all his conceptual thinking, apologetical writing, and doctrinal teaching, Gregory of Nyssa still said, “Concepts create idols; only wonder grasps anything.”

9.  As a leading figure in the Council of Constantinople in 381, Gregory played a primary role in the Nicene Creed we know and love.

8. He and his brother Basil made the Trinity the Godhead it is today.

7. He may have been a pretty lousy bishop, but was a darn good thinker. Hey, at least he was cleared of that embezzlement charge.

6.  His experience as Bishop of Nyssa during the Arian controversy makes General Convention look like a cakewalk with delicious frosting and pretty flowers on top.

5. When he said he didn’t want to be a bishop, it’s because he really, really didn’t want to be a bishop.

4.  Despite the fact that Gregory didn’t have much good to say about pilgrimages, he put Nyssa on the map. The Cappodocian Board of Tourism owes him big time.

3. He was an early and vocal opponent of slavery, asserting since all are made in the divine image, all are radically equal.

2. He showed proper deference to his older sister Macrina (as younger siblings ought, ahem), and became a Christian through her witness and guidance. He was devastated by her death in 379.

and finally...

1. Gregory of Nyssa would be an excellent patron saint of home-schooled children.

-- Laura Toepfer

Vote!

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Ladies and gentlemen, it's the moment you've been waiting for since the lighting of the New Fire at the Easter Vigil: the unveiling of the 2013 Lent Madness Bracket! We received many, many nominations -- thanks to all who took the time to prayerfully submit them. The Supreme Executive Committee took the process of selecting saints very seriously as you can tell from this video. However, as it says (somewhere) in the Bible, many are called yet few are chosen.

Click here to view the bracket in all its glory (special thanks to Bracket Czar Adam Thomas). We're excited to release the bracket in conjunction with Lent Madness Day at General Convention, which we're petitioning to become the first-ever worldwide holiday (negotiations with the UN are ongoing).

One of the new features is the inclusion of four "play-in" matches. These will take place before the official kick off on Ash Thursday (February 14, 2012). The concept is simple -- two saints do battle, one advances to the 32-saint bracket, the other rues the day and plots to get in next year. The first play-in match will take place today, July 6th, starting at 8:00 am with voting being closed on July 7th at 8:00 am. This will be forever known in the annals of Lent Madness as the Great Battle of the Gregorys as it pits Gregory the Great versus Gregory of Nyssa. It will be epic.

If you happen to be in Indianapolis for General Convention, stop by the Forward Movement booth to meet Tim and Scott, have your picture taken with a giant cardboard cutout of last year's Golden Halo winner Mary Magdalene, tell us how annoyed you are that Saint XXX didn't make it into the bracket, and generally revel in the Kingdom of Heaven-like aura that is Lent Madness. If you're not in Indianapolis (and don't feel too bad since it's 100 degrees here), we'll look forward to seeing you online!

PS. If you haven't yet "liked" us on Facebook click here. Your reward will be in heaven.

A Solemn Proclamation from the Supreme Executive Committee of Lent Madness

Be it known to all unto whom these present letters may come, that the Episcopal Church is preparing to gather in its General Convention, said Convention to be held in the city and diocese of Indianapolis in the Hoosier state; and

Whereas, It would be madness if no one lent the Convention a bit of holy humor and saintly piety; and

Whereas, The Supreme Executive Committee has taken unto itself to improve and saintify the General Convention; now therefore be it

Resolved, That Friday, July 6, 2012 is hereby declared as Lent Madness Day; and be it further

Resolved, That Mary Magdalene, or a life-size cardboard image thereof, shall be present for those who wish to have their photographs taken or portraits painted with the winner of the Golden Halo in Lent Madness 2012; and be it further

Resolved, That the bracket for Lent Madness 2013 shall be revealed to all persons throughout the world on Lent Madness Day; and be it further

Resolved, That the first play-in match shall be held on this day, allowing General Convention guests, bishops, and deputies the opportunity to cast the most important vote of the entire Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the entire Supreme Executive Committee shall be present at the Forward Movement booth of the exhibit hall to offer autographs of the aforementioned Supreme Executive Committee.

Given under our hand, seal, and smirk on this day, the twenty-second day of June in the two thousand and twelfth year of our Lord's grace, being the Feast of St. Alban, who has never done well in Lent Madness.

Some people think General Convention is the most important thing going on in the Episcopal Church. The Supreme Executive Committee disagrees, and we have ten reasons to prove that Lent Madness is better than General Convention.

1. Far from being limited to the shangri-la that is Indianapolis, Lent Madness is a global phenomenon.

2. Elections are truly democratic rather than foregone conclusions.

3. Having a Supreme Executive Committee eliminates mind-numbing non-supreme, non-executive committee work.

Voting at General Convention -- snore.

4. Instead of boring names like Katharine and Bonnie, we have names like Enmegahbowh and Philander.

5. Lent Madness mugs rock.

6. House of Bishops? House of Deputies? We have the House of Tim and Scott (not that they would ever consent to live under the same roof).

7. We have a MUCH better logo (halo trumps mitre every time).

8. Who needs an exhibit hall, when you can go to the Lent Madness Store? (with great merchandise on the way for Lent Madness 2013).

Voting at Lent Madness -- score!

9. Instead of 250 resolutions, we resolve things the old-fashioned way: 32 saints walk in. Only one walks out with the Golden Halo.

10. Ever hear an Easter sermon about a piece of legislation? Of course not. But I'll bet a few of you heard sermons about the winner of the Golden Halo 2012.

We have some ideas for how to make General Convention better and our ideas have nothing to do with restructuring or elections or numbered committees. Stay tuned for BREAKING NEWS on St. Alban's Day for our plans to make this the best General Convention in the history of bicameral synodical assemblies.

After an Easter hiatus, Tim and Scott are back to reveal how the Supreme Executive Committee discerns the bracket for Lent Madness. For a limited time, your nominations are welcomed for the bracket of Lent Madness 2013.

Enjoy more videos on the Lent Madness video channel.

Nominations for next year's saints are currently being accepted from the floor! And the ceiling and the undercroft and the slate roof and any other part of the church that might be  susceptible to a touch of deferred maintenance.

As always, we seek to put together a balanced bracket of saints ancient and modern, Biblical and ecclesiastical representing the breadth and diversity of God’s One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. In other words, kindly submit your nominations to the Supreme Executive Committee but don't throw a hissy fit if he/she is not accepted this year. There's always Lent Madness 2014 or Lent Madness 2029.

This year's bracket was formed with input from the Celebrity Bloggers and a Ouija Board (with the Holy Spirit hanging around behind the scenes). But for next year we decided to open the nominations to everybody. Don't worry, the SEC is not suddenly becoming a democratic institution -- the only time democracy rears its ugly head in Lent Madness is during the actual voting. Still, there may well be saints we didn't think of (hard to fathom) or a particular pairing that is worthy of the madness.

We're also considering two or three pre-Lenten play-in match-ups to keep things interesting and whet everyone's voting whistle in the waning days of the Season after the Epiphany.

As you discern saints to nominate, please keep in mind that a number of saints are ineligible for next year’s "saintly smack down." This includes the entire field of Lent Madness 2012 and those saints who made it to the Round of the Elate Eight in 2010 and 2011. Here is a comprehensive list of ineligible saints. Please keep this in mind as you submit your nominations.

The field from 2012:

Joan of Arc
Lancelot Andrewes
Mary Magdalene
Augustine of Hippo
Monnica
Evelyn Underhill
Nicholas
Margaret of Scotland
William Temple
James Lloyd Breck
John Cassian
Thomas the Apostle
Enmegahbowh
David Oakerhater
Martin of Porres
Thomas Cranmer
William Law
Columba
Catherine of Siena
Emma of Hawaii
Paul of Tarsus
Theodore of Tarsus
Rose of Lima
Brigid of Kildare
James the Apostle
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Thomas Merton
Philander Chase
Jerome
John Patteson

From 2010 & 2011:
Aelred
Francis of Assisi
Julian of Norwich
Peter
Theresa of Avila
Hildegard of Bingen
George Herbert
John Chrysostom
Polycarp
C.S. Lewis
Clare of Assisi
William Tyndale
Thomas Beckett
Constance
Perpetua
Vincent of Saragossa

Many Lent Madness fans have beseeched the Supreme Executive Committee for ways to survive the long duration until Lent Madness 2013. By the way, Lent Madness 2013 begins on February 14, 2013, and you can check the countdown clock any time on www.lentmadness.org. Anyway, in their mercy, the SEC has compiled a list of suggestions for those of you wondering how you'll last until next year's Ash Thursday.

We're also starting a support group called Lenten Seasonal Affective Disorder, or LSAD. Never before have so many lamented the end of Lent. We've heard reports that in at least one parish, a distraught Lent Madness participant tackled the Celebrant at the Easter Vigil just before she proclaimed the Easter Acclamation. And the managers of several fine hotels along Waikiki Beach have complained about finding several defaced copies of the requisite Gideon's Bibles. It seems that several guests have crossed out verses referring to "40 days and 40 nights" and have inserted the word "endless."

Top Ten Ways to Combat Long-Term LMW

Finally, if you have suggestions for the bracket of Lent Madness 2013, contact the Supreme Executive Committee soon. They will be meeting in an undisclosed location to begin deliberations. Make sure you review this year's bracket, as well as the brackets for Lent Madness 2010 and Lent Madness 2011. The only saints who make repeat appearances are those who did not make it past the first round. Unless the SEC grants a special dispensation.

Congratulations to 2012 Golden Halo Winner -- Mary Magdalene!

The Holy Gospel of Lent Madness,
according to the Supreme Executive Committee.

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him. Plus, I was worried that Emma might win the Golden Halo once all of Hawaii cast their votes.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have voted for Emma please tell me and I will go away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary! You have won the 2012 Golden Halo!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Holy Toledo!). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet decided upon the bracket for Lent Madness 2013. But log onto www.lentmadness.org and encourage my disciples to buy a commemorative mug.' Say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my SEC and your SEC (to straighten out those two goofy priests).”’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord.’ And then she told them she had won the Golden Halo. They were amazed, but Thomas cast his eyes downward, for he remembered his poor performance in the first round .

The "Gospel" of the Supreme Executive Committee.

Those of you who have been following along will know that the Supreme Executive Committee has been promoting Spy Wednesday as the day for the final battle for the Golden Halo. Several of you have asked us about the name Spy Wednesday. Ever happy to educate and inspire, we are only too happy to oblige.

Spy Wednesday gets its name because this is the day on which Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin. Because Judas is thought to be sneaky, his actions conjured up the image of a spy. This is how the Gospel of Luke recounts the events of today:

Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present. (Luke 22:3-6)

The illustration here evocatively depicts this infamous scene. If you go to Holy Eucharist every day of Holy Week, the Gospel readings provide the narrative of Jesus' final days, an ever-quickening story that spins out of control and finally brings us to Good Friday.

It is surely a strange juxtaposition to think about Spy Wednesday and Lent Madness in the same moment. But the whole point of Lent Madness is to engage us all in an exploration of the ways God's grace has filled the lives of women and men through history and across all cultures. Sure, we've been silly and even competitive about our Lenten exercise. In the end though, we are learning to see in fresh ways how Jesus Christ matters to all humanity. That seems like a good and holy thing to do on Spy Wednesday.

Now, get thee to the polls and vote! Only one saint will emerge standing today, wearing the coveted Golden Halo. Will it be Emma of Hawaii or Mary Magdalene? You decide.