Lent Madness

04/02/2026

Bishop Phoebe Roaf at St Mary’s Cathedral in Memphis sharing the good news of this years Golden Halo winner!!
The Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee

04/02/2026

👑 Announcing this year’s Golden Halo winner 👑

But first… what an incredible season it has been. We have learned, laughed, and lived into the witness of some truly amazing saints.

A special thank you to everyone who joined us on Facebook Live to meet our bloggers, vloggers, and the Forward Movement team. If you missed it, you can catch the replay on Facebook or YouTube 🎥

This year was all about community makers and bridge builders, and we are so grateful you were part of this growing, faithful, joy filled community as we deepen our knowledge and love of Jesus 🙏

And remember, Lent Madness is not just for Lent…
Join us this summer for 2027 saint nominations 📝
Tune in this November for the bracket reveal 🤩
And stay connected for fun all year long ⛪️

But now… the moment we have all been waiting for… 🎉 THE GOLDEN HALO WINNER OF 2026 🎉

✨ CONSTANCE AND HER COMPANIONS ✨

Thanks Be to God, and as always….. Happy Lent!!

Meet our bloggers, vloggers, and celebrate all things Lent Madness as we crown the Golden Halo winner!

04/01/2026

Lent Madness Live Celebration with our bloggers, vloggers, and friends!

04/01/2026

👑 The Golden Halo matchup is here 👑

And to celebrate, join us today at 12pm EST on Facebook Live as we meet some of our bloggers, connect with friends of Forward Movement, and celebrate all things Lent Madness 2026! 🎥

On behalf of Fr. Christian and me, thank you for an incredible season of fun, faith, and fellowship. Together we have lifted up community makers and bridge builders, and hopefully become a little more like them along the way. This has truly been a labor of love, and we are so grateful for all of you 🙏

But before we celebrate… we still have a Golden Halo to award ✨

Will it be St. Mary’s champions, Constance and her companions

or

The Arch himself, Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Two incredible witnesses. One final vote! As always, it is up to you. Pray about it, join us live, and VOTE 🗳️

We’ll see you on Facebook live today, this summer for 2027 Saint nominations, & in November for All Bracketstide!!!💜

03/31/2026

🔥 IT IS THE PENULTIMATE DAY OF LENT MADNESS 🔥 Which means tomorrow at noon we go LIVE 🎥 Join us for our Livestream Watch Party on Facebook Live as we meet bloggers, vloggers, and the amazing people who make Lent Madness happen and love it just as much as you do. We will see you tomorrow at 12:00pm 👀

But first… yesterday 😏 The tournament is almost complete and we have our final Faithful Four matchup to decide who will face Constance and her companions in the Golden Halo final. The martyrs of Memphis just sent all the Lutherans to Heartbreak Hotel 🎸 after defeating Martin Luther 69.68% to 30.32%

But that was yesterday…Today’s matchup is our toughest choice yet 🔥

First up, the man who wrote the rule of life, shaped monasticism, transformed worship, and built a legacy of discipleship across the world ⛪

It's... Benedict of Nursia!!!
vs
A man who lived the Golden Rule, stood against injustice, and helped transform a nation, a communion, and the world ✝️🌍

It's...Archbishop Desmond Tutu!!!

Two giants of the faith. One final spot in the Golden Halo. Who will meet Constance and her companions in tomorrow’s final… you decide

03/30/2026

4️⃣The Faithful Four is here!!4️⃣
In today’s video we are kicking things off with a different kind of faithful four, the past and present SEC!

We hope you had a blessed Palm Sunday as we step into Holy Week and move closer to crowning this year’s Golden Halo winner 😇

The Faithful Four speaks for itself. We have read the bios, heard the legends, and seen the merch. Now it comes down to one simple question… who is most deserving of the Golden Halo?

First matchup of the round 👀
The Graces from Graceland, Constance and her companions, take on the man who made Reformation cool… Martin Luther

Do the girls of St. Mary’s School have what it takes to topple the Lutherans?
Will Wittenberg prevail over Memphis?
Only one will advance to the finals… and that choice is yours

Either of these two may face the winner of Friday’s matchup, Saint Benedict of Nursia who took down Blessed Gerard 55.09% to 44.91% 🔥

Watch the video, read the blogs, and VOTE 🗳️
https://www.lentmadness.org/2026/03/martin-luther-vs-constance-and-her-companions/

03/29/2026

Shout out to Forward Movement on this Palm Sunday.
www.ForwardMovement.org/donate

03/28/2026

[Episcopal News Service] Lent Madness, the annual matchups of saints in a sports-tournament-style bracket, is nearing its final showdown of the year, with the announcement of the “Golden Halo” winn…

03/27/2026

Thank you Episcopal News Service for writing about Lent Madness today!

Lent Madness’ new organizers seek to bring saintly tournament to larger audience – Episcopal News Service

[Episcopal News Service] Lent Madness, the annual matchups of saints in a sports-tournament-style bracket, is nearing its final showdown of the year, with the announcement of the “Golden Halo” winn…

03/27/2026

🔥 The final matchup of the Elate Eight is here 🔥
And it does not get more blessed than this.

Under the banner of ora et labora, the man who taught the world how to monk, the one who has taken down two greats… it is Benedict of Nursia ⛪

But standing in his way is a saint of service. Under the banner of “for our lords the sick and the poor,” a model of care for all people regardless of background or creed. Having already taken down two monastics, he is going for a third… Blessed Gerard ✝️

A Benedictine medallion vs a Maltese cross
A rule of life vs a life of service
Two incredible saints, both bringing elite level kitsch.

You cannot go wrong… but only one can claim the final spot in the Faithful Four 👀

And they will join Constance and her companions, who marched into the next round like the ducks at the Peabody Hotel 🦆 (look it up trust us!) winning 61.23% to 38.77 over Peter

Watch the video, read the blogs, and VOTE 🗳️ https://www.lentmadness.org/2026/03/benedict-of-nursia-vs-blessed-gerard/

03/26/2026

🎤 What do you get when you mix papal vestments and Memphis, TN? No, it is not Elvis in a mitre… it is today’s Lent Madness matchup!!!! 😎
In one corner, from Vatican City, 🇻🇦 The defeater of Apostles Thomas and Paul. The man with keys to pearly gates. It is PETER 🔑

In the other corner, from Memphis, TN 🏥 The nuns who stayed when others fled, their healthcare outmatched Cosmas and Damian’s. The Martyrs of Memphis outshined the Martyrs of Uganda. It is Constance and her Companions ✝️

Two more than worthy contenders, two powerful stories of faith and witness, and one step closer to the Golden Halo.

They bring the best kitsch of Memphis and Vatican City swag out today, as they battle for a spot in the Faithful Four… alongside yesterday’s winner 👀

THE ARCH himself, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who dominated Archbishop Janani Luwum 71.69% to 28.31% 🔥 Watch the video, read the blogs, and VOTE 🗳️ https://www.lentmadness.org/2026/03/constance-and-her-companions-vs-peter-the-apostle/

03/25/2026

We’ve been looking forward to this one all week 🔥 It is the battle of the 🇿🇦Arches🇺🇬!!! The Elate Eight brings us a showdown for the ages. The man who took out Elizabeth Seton, Edith Stein, and apartheid itself… it is Archbishop Desmond Tutu 🙌

But his opponent is no slouch. He has taken down Wang Zhiming, Damien of Hawaii, and stood boldly against Idi Amin. Bishop Pogo’s favorite saint… Archbishop Janani Luwum ✝️

The whole continent of Africa has to be watching as the Archbishop of Cape Town🇿🇦 meets the Archbishop of Uganda🇺🇬. This is a vote to watch across time zones

Who will join our first entrant in the Final Four… Martin Luther, who just took down Joan or Arc 52.09 to 47.91% ⚔️🔥

Watch, read, and VOTE 🗳️
https://www.lentmadness.org/2026/03/janani-luwum-vs-desmond-tutu/