<p>Alphege was born in Weston, on the outskirts of Bath.&nbsp; He became a monk early in life, and first entered the monastery of Deerhurst, but then moved to Bath where he became an Anchorite.&nbsp; He was noted for his piety and austerity, and quickly became the Abbott of the Abbey in Bath.&nbsp; In 984 he became the Bishop of Winchester.&nbsp; While Bishop he was largely responsible for the construction of a large organ in the Cathedral, audible for over a mile away and said to require more than 24 men to operate.&nbsp; He also built and enlarged the city&rsquo;s Churches.&nbsp; In 1006 he became the Archbishop of Canterbury.&nbsp; He went to Rome to get his Pallium from Pope John XVIII, and was robbed during his journey. &nbsp;</p> <p>In 1011, the Danes raided England, and from September 8-29^th, they laid siege to Canterbury.&nbsp; Alphege, the Bishop of Canterbury was taken captive for seven months.&nbsp; The Bishop of Rochester and the Abbess of St. Mildrith&rsquo;s were captured also, but the Abbot of St. Augustine&rsquo;s Abbey managed to escape.&nbsp; They then set fire to the Canterbury Cathedral and destroyed it. &nbsp; Alphege refused to allow a ransom to be paid for his freedom, and as a result was killed on April 19, 1012 at Greenwich (now a part of London) on the site of St. Alfege&rsquo;s Church.&nbsp; He was the first Archbishop of Canterbury to die a violent death.&nbsp; Some sources say his death was so violent, that a Christian convert, known as Thrum, delivered the back of an axe to his head as an act of kindness.&nbsp; He was buried in St. Paul&rsquo;s Cathedral, and later his body was moved to Canterbury. &nbsp; After his death, many conversions came about with the soldiers who carried out his gruesome death. &nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Practical Take Away</strong></span></p> <p>St. Alphege was born in 954, in Weston.&nbsp; He became a monk early on in life, and was very spiritual.&nbsp; He became the Bishop of Winchester, and then the Archbishop of Canterbury.&nbsp; He was noted for building many of the city&rsquo;s Churches, or expanding the ones they had.&nbsp; In 1011, the Danes raided England, and he was captured for a period of seven months.&nbsp; He refused to have a ransom paid for his release, and was ultimately tortured and killed.&nbsp; He is a martyr for the faith, and his feast day is April 19^th.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>