St Alfred the Great was the King of Wessex from 871 AD to 886 AD and King of England from 886 AD until 899 AD.
He was born in 849 AD in Wantage, Berkshire, Wessex and died on October 26 899 AD at the age of 50.
We celebrate his feast day on October 26 every year in the Catholic Church.
| St Alfred the Great Biography | |
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| Date of Birth | 849 AD |
| Place of Birth | Wantage, Berkshire, Wessex, England |
| Profession | King of England |
| Place of Work | England |
| Date of Death | October 26 899 aged 50 |
| Place of Death | Winchester, England |
| Feast Day | October 26 |
| Canonization | Pre-Congregation |
| Patron Saint of | Learning, Literature and Arts |
St Alfred the Great Life History
St Alfred the Great was the King of Wessex from 871 AD to 886 AD and King of England from 886 AD until 899 AD.
St Alfred successfully defended his kingdom against the Viking attempt at conquest, and by the time of his death had become the dominant ruler in England.
He is one of the only two English monarchs to be given the epithet “the Great”, the other being the Scandinavian Cnut the Great.
He was the youngest of five sons of King Ethelwulf of Wessex. He came to the throne during a Danish invasion and became the ideal Christian king of Wessex. Alfred defeated the Danes and preserved the growth of the Church in England.
St Alfred the Great is the patron saint of learning. He established a court school and invited British and foreign scholars to work there.
He personally translated several religious works into Anglo-Saxon. His laws made no distinction between British and Welsh subjects, a first.
St Alfred the Great Prayer
We pray to you, O Lord, who are the supreme Truth, and all truth is from you. We beseech you, O Lord, who are the highest Wisdom, and all the wise depend on you for their wisdom.
You are the supreme Joy, and all who are happy owe it to you. You are the Light of minds, and all receive their understanding from you.
We love you above all. We seek you, we follow you, and we are ready to serve you. We desire to dwell under your power for you are the King of all. Amen.
Other Catholic Saints whose Feast Days are in October
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