St. Edward the Confessor?

[Madia]

Can anyone give me any information on St. Edward the Confessor? In particular, why the Confessor surname?

[St_Benedict]

13 October
St Edward the Confessor
Born in 1003, St Edward died at Westminster on 5 January 1066. He became king of England in 1042, the last of the old Anglo-Saxon line; his death precipitated the Norman invasion of 1066. Commonly known as the ‘Confessor’, he was regarded as a saint during his lifetime, renowned for his generosity to the Church and to the poor, and because of the readiness with which he listened to his subject’s grievances. His relics were translated on this day in 1163 to a new shrine in Westminster Abbey, which foundation he had richly endowed and expanded.
Former National Proper (24*)
Common of Holy Men and Women
http://www.catholicchurch.org.uk/lit.../England2.html

[St_Benedict]

Homily given by the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, at at Festal Evensong at Westminster Abbey, at 5pm on 7 October 2005, sung by the combined choirs of Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral, on the occasion of the festival of the commemoration of the birth of the Abbey’s founder, St Edward the Confessor.

Full Text

[Madia]

Thanks for the information. Does anyone know where I can find a prayer(s) to him?

[chris ZA]

I think the confessor refers to the fact that he "confessed" the Catholic Faith. St Domnic Savio was the first child to be given the title confessor because he lived the Catholic faith to the full.

Christopher

[Cockney Clive]

And 'Confessor' is also the old English name for someone who dies in the faith but not by martyrdom. An extremely pious and devout practitioner of the faith who was not a professed religious.