St. Edward the Confessor (reigned 1042 -1066), beloved king of England, had an ardent love for the Apostles St. Peter and St. John the Evangelist - so much so, that, toward the end of his life, he worked on rebuilding the Abbey of St. Peter at Westminster.

One fine summer day, when work on the Abbey was nearing completion, King Edward was riding through the woods of Havering with his retinue. He came upon a new church just in the process of being dedicated to St. John the Evangelist. Since he had a great devotion to St. John, he dismounted and went inside to watch the ceremony. Shortly after, an elderly man entered the church, dressed like a pilgrim from the Holy Land. Going up to the king the elderly pilgrim asked Edward, for the sake of St. John, to give him some silver coins.

Edward had a great love for pilgrims, but he didn’t have any money on him. He glanced around for Hugolin, his treasurer who looked after the money purse, but Hugolin was nowhere to be seen. The king didn’t want to send the old pilgrim away empty handed, so he gave all he had to offer, a large gold ring he was wearing. The old man thanked the king for his gift, and went on his way.

Some years afterwards, two English pilgrims were returning from their visit to the Holy Land. They traveled through the desert, but got separated from their companions and lost their way. Alone, and half dead with hunger and thirst, they eventually succumbed to their exhaustion as night came on. Lying on the scorched desert sands and hearing the sounds of wild beasts nearby, they felt little hope of survival.

Suddenly, the darkness of the night was dispelled by two lights shining in the distance. As the lights drew near, the astonished pilgrims perceived a company of resplendent people, all clothed in white, processing towards them. At the end of this awe-inspiring procession walked an aged man with long white hair and a handsome face full of kindness.

He approached the two pilgrims, saying, "Be of good cheer, holy pilgrims. From what country and city do you come?"

The pilgrims answered, "We come from England, and from the city of London, kind sir. We have been separated from our friends, and have lost our way."

"Follow me," he replied; and giving them some food and milk to replenish their strength, brought them to a nice spot to rest after their exhausting day.

The next morning he set them on their way, and showed them how they could rejoin their companions on the road to Bethlehem. As he walked together with them, he asked them about their King Edward. The two pilgrims told him of their king’s kind charity and noble deeds, and how he was building a new and splendid church at Westminster. The old man smiled as he listened.

At last the time then came for them to part ways. But as they were about to bid him farewell, the old man surprised them with a startling revelation.

"I am John the Evangelist," he said; "take from me this message to Edward your King, and give him greeting. Tell him to hasten the building of the church of Westminster by all means in his power, for in six months from the time you give him this message he shall die, and come to be with me in Paradise. And in token of this, give him this ring, which he gave to me in my church at Havering."

The two English pilgrims fell to their knees at the feet of the holy Evangelist and begged him to bless them. He gladly did so, promising them that they would return to England safe and sound. Carefully carrying the precious ring the pilgrims hastened homeward, enjoying a pleasant and safe voyage - just as St. John had promised. When they at last reached England they continued on, not resting until they had delivered the Saint’s message and gift to the king. Edward listened with great joy to the pilgrims’ account of their adventure, taking a special delight in hearing from the Saint he loved so dearly. It touched him to know now that it was St. John to whom he had given his ring all those years ago.

Wasting no time, King Edward ordered that the Abbey of Westminster be finished as quickly as possible. The next six months saw the king setting everything in order throughout his kingdom with the greatest of diligence and care. December came, he went to his palace at Westminster to celebrate Christmas and to ready the final preparations for the dedicating of the Abbey. The people cheered as they celebrated Christmas with their beloved king, unaware that it would be the last time they saw him. He fell very ill soon after.

December 28, 1065, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, had been chosen for the dedication of the newly rebuilt Abbey of Westminster. Stigand, the Archbishop of Canterbury, had come to perform the ceremony. But when the morning came the good King was too ill to even be carried to the church. He had only the strength to sign his charter, bestowing many rich gifts on his new church. His queen, Edith, took his place at the grand dedication. And in early January of 1066, king St. Edward the Confessor passed into the next life.

An old account of his life relates that he died "in the hope that he was passing from the land of the dead to the land of the living. And St. Peter his friend opened the gate of Paradise, and St. John, his own dear friend, led him before the Divine Majesty."