Feast day of Charles 1, blessed saint and martyr.

Today on January 30, member churches of the Anglican communion and English Catholics venerate blessed Charles 1, saint and martyr, who died defending the episcopacy in England against puritan militants. Before his execution, he was told that he would be spared if he gave in to recreating the Church of England in a Presbyterian polity, he did not and suffered the consequences. He sought intercommunion with the Roman Catholic Church, claiming that the two churches were one and the same, but his plans were thwarted by his untimely death. Before going to the executioner, his last recorded words were “I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible crown, where no disturbance can be” Charles the first, blessed saint and martyr, king of England, Ora pro nobis!