Sources
There is no direct source for this poem. The known lives of Erkenwald do not contain a miracle concerning the salvation of a pagan judge. The closest analogue is the story of Pope Gregory the Great and the Roman Emperor Trajan. In several versions of the story, Gregory learns of Trajan's just life, and prays to God on his behalf. The story of Trajan is a popular one throughout the Middle Ages, and can, for example, be found in Dante's Divine Comedy.
Read more about this topic: St. Erkenwald (poem)
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