Margaret 			November 16
Queen of Scotland
Queen Margaret of Scotland was descended from the traditional English royal line. When the Danes ruled England briefly during the eleventh century, some descendants of the English royal family sought exile on the continent. Margaret was probably born in Hungary in 1046 and educated there. She returned to England in 1057 on the collapse of the Danish royal line. With the Norman conquest in 1066 making her position intolerable in England, she took refuge at the court of Malcolm III of Scotland and married him in 1070.
Margaret set about reforming the church in Scotland and introducing an English influence. Church life in Scotland was not strong at that time, but there were those who were critical of the English influence Margaret brought to bear on the problem. She pressed for a much stricter observance of Lent, and insisted that the mass should follow the Roman rite. Sunday was to be devoted to prayer. Her husband, realising her ability and her goodness, turned to her for advice about the affairs of the kingdom. Her biographer said that the king came to see “that Christ truly dwelt in her heart. What she rejected, he rejected. What she loved, he, for love of her, loved too.”
She was a faithful wife and mother, bearing six sons and two daughters. She saw to the spiritual welfare of her large household and maintained a strong devotional life. She was famous for her care for orphans and poor people, often visiting them in their homes and nursing them herself. She made herself freely available to anyone in trouble, and her care for the poor was well known. Intelligent and well-educated herself, she founded schools, hospitals and orphanages. She and her husband rebuilt the monastery of Iona, and built Dunfermline Abbey as a burial place for the Scottish royal family. In 1093 Malcolm was attacked and killed by William II of England, and Margaret herself died of an illness only four days later on 16 November, and was buried beside her husband at Dunfermline. Her remains were removed to Spain during the Reformation.
For Liturgical Use
Queen Margaret was a descendant of Anglo-Saxon royalty that sought refuge during the Danish and Norman invasions of England. She was born in Hungary in 1046 and finally went to Scotland, where she married Malcolm III in 1070. She set about reforming the church in Scotland. Her husband, realising her ability, increasingly turned to her for advice. She was a devout and conscientious parent and famous for her care of orphans and poor people. She also established schools, hospitals and orphanages, and rebuilt the monastery of Iona. She died in 1093 and was buried at Dunfermline Abbey.
Sentence
My song is of mercy and justice; to you, O Lord, I will sing.	Psalm 101:1
Collects
God, our eternal ruler,
as Queen Margaret of Scotland rejoiced to be your subject,
aided your church, and succoured the poor,
make us ready to seek your kingdom before all else,
and to be fruitful in good works;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Eternal God, creator and ruler of all that is,
we who so much depend
on good and caring government
praise you for Margaret the queen;
for she knew whose minister she was,
and devoted her life to the Scottish people.
Psalms	128	146:5-10
Readings
Proverbs 31:10-12,20,26-31	The God-fearing woman
Acts 9:36-42		A woman full of good works
Matthew 13:44-46		A pearl of great value
Post Communion Sentence
Jesus said, “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”	Mark 3:35