THE FEAST OF ST. CHARLES MARTYR (JAN. 30TH)

“Icon of the King”

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West) 

Today, on the anniversary of his cruel martyrdom, we celebrate the famous image of St. Charles in contemplative prayer, called “Eikon Basilike, The Portrature of His Sacred Majestie in His Solitudes and Sufferings.” This mystical work was attributed to King Charles I and published 10 days after his beheading, February 9th, AD 1649.

One must remember, the English Church had the understanding of intercommunion with Constantinople at this time, through Abp. Laud. Only a few of the actual letters proving this understanding survived the martyrdom and destruction of the Caroline Fathers’ personal possessions, but, as much as any western king at that time could, St. Charles died in the communion of the One True Church. 

After Cromwell, the Restoration of the Monarchy and the Act of Toleration in AD 1689, the Orthodox vision for the Church of England fell through, relegated to a failed vision of Charles I, and a political compromise between Calvinist Presbyterians, High Church Anglicans, and various other Protestants emerged, which made doctrinal issues secondary to national unity. This later foundation is what replaced the catholic mind of the Caroline Divines and their focus on the doctrinal teachings of the Ancient Church.

Let us celebrate the memory of an Orthodox English King, a rare Theologian and Compassionate Sovereign, struck down in the prime of his life by demonic Puritan hands, who tried to stamp out the vision of a Western Orthodox Church in England which we now represent in the Anglican Vicariate! May this inspiration and purpose never die in our midst, and may we be held by the prayers of St. Charles before Christ’s Throne! 

(Read the whole text of St. Charles’ Spiritual Contemplations here: anglicanhistory.org/charles/eikon/)