November 3rd. St. Rumbold (Rumwald, Rumwold, Rumbald)

The story of this infant saint revolves around the South Midlands. Traditionally, he was a child of the royal family of the Midland kingdom of Mercia, a grandson of King Penda (+654) and son of a Christian mother and pagan father, from Northumbria. He is said to have been born at Sutton (thereafter King's Sutton) near Banbury. His legend has it that he died aged 3 days, but that in that time he said several times "I am a Christian", expressed his faith in the Holy Trinity, asked for Baptism and Holy Communion, preached on the Holy Trinity and the need for a virtuous life, quoted Scripture and recited the Athanasian Creed. Buried at King's Sutton, he was later moved to Buckingham. A number of churches are dedicated to this remarkable child, whose infant achievements make those of Jesus seem marginally inadequate, while the famous Abbey of Boxley, near Maidstone, had a statue of him, burnt at the Reformation, and his name crops up not infrequently in medieval road and street names. While none of us will be burnt at the stake for not taking the details of his life too literally, we may at least say that the popularity of his cult represents an awareness of the remarkable transforming power of faith in Christ and the gift of Baptism. "What will this child turn out to be?" [I.uke 1:66]