“We are a pre-denominational, early church movement, establishing loving, local communities that preach the original Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.”
Today we make “King Alfred’s Cakes”, commemorating the defeat of the Viking Danes in 878AD and the founding of the Abbey of Altheney, dedicated to Our Blessed Savior, St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. Egelwine. The Battle of Edington was traditionally fought on the 7th Saturday of Trinity, which would be tomorrow, and it united all of Anglia under a Christian King, and forced the Heathen Armies of the Danes to begin accepting Christianity.
These cakes recall when King Alfred was on the run and took refuge with peasants, eating the same oat bread as his yeomen and servants. When it was his turn to watch the cakes, he burnt them, and was scolded by an anonymous peasant woman. Sparing the woman because of her ignorance of his kingship, he went on to win the war, and the people celebrated his victory with these cakes ever after! After this, Alfred was known for his mercy as well as his martial prowess, willing to take a scolding from his lowly subjects, but fearlessly putting the mighty Vikings to flight!
We celebrate the English patrimony today and our long history of Christian Faith, which has transformed the culture of a little, insignificant island into a witness to the greatness of the Holy Trinity and the beauty of shared life through the Holy Sacraments!
King Alfred being Scolded for Burning the Cakes Before Battle
King Alfred Cakes, Made with Oats and Apples
The Site of the Former Abbey of Our Savior at Altheney, Destroyed in the Reformation in 1535, Now Marked with a Memorial Since 1801
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