The name of the Saxon King Ine of Wessex may not mean much to modern day Christians; however, King Ine, Saint of the church, ruled with generosity, Christian charity and intelligence from 688 to 728. He is recognized as a Saint in both the Catholic and Anglican faith traditions for the body of laws created for the good of the Church and the people of his Kingdom.
Saint King Ine, and his wife, Saint Ethelburga of Kent were both devoutly religious people, supporting the church and the poor with their own money. Together, they actively sought out Bishops and other church leaders to create a structure for the church in their kingdom. Before the reign of King Ine and Queen Ethelburga the church consisted of scattered houses of worship.
King Ine also oversaw the completion of the Abbey at Glastonbury, a very important landmark in Somerset, UK, granting the Abbey lands and support for its growth. This Abbey included a Scriptorium which was the intellectual center of life in the Kingdom. Over time, Glastonbury Abbey, with its beautiful stone church, became a powerful religious center and stuff of legend, linked to the legends of King Arthur.
In 726, King Ine and his Queen abdicated their throne, as was the practice for Anglo-Saxon kings at the time, to go on Pilgrimage to Rome. Upon their arrival, it is believed that they set up a hospice for English pilgrims.
Saint King Ine and his wife Ethelburga were not just concerned with the “secular” growth of their kingdom. They were deeply concerned with the spiritual well being of the people over whom they ruled. Their legacy proves that they served a living and powerful God.
References:
LogoSophia Magazine 