For more information on the author, as well as resources on the Orthodox view of the departed, the meaning of a Saint and their veneration, explanation of old vs new calendar, and funeral hymns and prayers, click here.
By Walt Garlington
Dear friends, if you have time, please pray for these members of the Southern family on the day they reposed. Many thanks.
Oct. 3rd
Henry Hughes of Port Gibson, Mississippi. He did a little of everything: lawyer, sociologist, State senator, soldier. Some of his ideas are no longer of interest, but his vision of an economy that looks and functions like a family is still worthy of consideration.
https://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/henry-hughes/
His book, “Treatise on Sociology”:
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000000449458&view=1up&seq=5
Oct. 7th
Edgar Allen Poe of Virginia, one of the South’s finest writers.
https://www.abbevilleinstitute.org/blog/poe-of-virginia/
https://poemuseum.org/poe-biography/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/822/edgar-allan-poe/photo
Oct. 8th
Norbert Rillieux of New Orleans, greatly improved the sugar-refining process.
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/norbertrillieux.html
Oct. 12th
General Robert Edward Lee, our dear and loving father. [His photo is on the right of the feature image at top.]
https://www.abbevilleinstitute.org/blog/ten-things-you-dont-know-about-robert-e-lee/
https://www.abbevilleinstitute.org/review/the-real-robert-e-lee/
I also recommend this excellent four-part series on Lee as Believer, Father, Soldier, and Educator. – DM
Oct. 23rd
Chief George Washington Harkins, leader of the Choctaw tribe who led them along the Trail of Tears from Mississippi to Oklahoma. His memorable farewell to the people of Mississippi may be read here:
https://www.ushistory.org/documents//harkins.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Harkins
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_removal#/media/File:Trails_of_Tears_en.png
His son David Harkins served as a lieutenant colonel in the Confederate Army as part of the Choctaw Mounted Rifles and also served as a statesman in Choctaw politics:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18910347/david-folsom-harkins
Oct. 29th
Sir Walter Raleigh, helped establish one of the earliest colonies in the South on Roanoke Island; he also found time for writing poetry and prose and for military service.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Walter-Raleigh-English-explorer
Some of his poetry is here:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/sir-walter-ralegh
Joel Sweeney of Virginia, he popularized the banjo inside and outside of the South.
http://www.cgim.org/sweeneyclan/misc/musical.html
Clarence Jordan, an advocate for agrarianism and founder of the Koinonia Farm in Georgia. Also a preacher and a defender of black folks during the turmoil of the Civil Rights era and spiritual father of Habitat for Humanity.
https://www.abbevilleinstitute.org/clarence-jordan-and-the-southern-tradition/
https://www.habitat.org/stories/clarence-jordan-and-habitat-humanity
Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are! Anathema to the Union!
♱ St. Alfred the Great, Eternal King of England and Chief Patron Saint of the South (+899), 26 Oct/8 Nov
King of Wessex and all Orthodox England who defeated the Danish invaders and ensured the growth of the Church in England. A patron of sacred learning, Alfred the Great himself translated into English such works as the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great. His memory is held by many in great veneration as a patriot and model of Orthodox kingship.
Source
A much longer account of his life
More about St. Alfred
A church service and hymns for the Saint
On what makes St. Alfred such a good fit as Patron Saint of the South
How one Orthodox parish in the South is celebrating his Feast Day
