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Edmund Campion facts for kids

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For the Australian priest and historian, see Edmund Campion (historian).
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Saint
Edmund Campion
SJ
Edmundus Campion.jpg
Portrait of St Edmund Campion
Martyr
Born 25 January 1540
London, Kingdom of England
Died 1 December 1581(1581-12-01) (aged 41)
Tyburn, Kingdom of England
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church
Beatified 29 December 1886, Rome by Pope Leo XIII
Canonized 25 October 1970, Rome by Pope Paul VI
Feast 1 December (individual with two companions)
4 May (all English Martyrs)
25 October (collectively with Forty Martyrs of England and Wales)
29 October (one of the Douai Martyrs)
Attributes Knife in chest, noose around neck, crucifix, holding a Bible, martyr's palm
Patronage United Kingdom
Influenced Henry Walpole
Cuthbert Mayne

Edmund Campion (born January 25, 1540 – died December 1, 1581) was an English Jesuit priest. He is remembered as a martyr, someone who died for their beliefs. Campion worked secretly in England during a time when the official church was Anglican. He was arrested by people who hunted priests. He was found guilty of high treason and was executed at Tyburn.

Campion was later honored by the Catholic Church. He was declared "blessed" (beatified) by Pope Leo XIII in 1886. In 1970, Pope Paul VI made him a saint (canonised) as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. His special day, or feast day, is celebrated on December 1.

Edmund Campion's Early Life and School

Edmund Campion was born in London on January 25, 1540. His father was a bookseller. Edmund went to Christ's Hospital school. When he was 13, he was chosen to give a speech to Queen Mary when she visited London in 1553.

A kind man named William Chester helped Campion go to St John's College, Oxford. He became a junior fellow there in 1557. He earned his first degree in 1560 and a master's degree in 1564.

In 1566, Campion welcomed Queen Elizabeth to the university. He led a public debate in front of her. The Queen was very impressed by him. Powerful people like William Cecil and the Earl of Leicester became his supporters.

Choosing His Faith

At this time, there were many changes in religion in England. Even though Campion believed in Catholic ideas, he became a deacon in the Anglican Church in 1564. But he felt very uneasy about this decision.

Rumors about his Catholic beliefs started to spread. So, in 1569, he left Oxford. He went to Ireland to study privately.

Time in Ireland (1569–1570)

Campion stayed with his university friend, Richard Stanihurst, in Ireland. He was warned that he was about to be arrested. So, he moved to another house and used the name "Mr Patrick" to hide. For about three months, he avoided those looking for him. During this time, he wrote a book called A Historie of Ireland.

Moving to Douai (1571–1573)

In 1571, Campion secretly left Ireland and went to Douai. Douai was in a region now part of France. There, he officially rejoined the Catholic Church. He joined the English College, which was a school for English Catholics.

At the college, Campion taught rhetoric, which is the art of speaking and writing well. He also finished his studies for a degree in Divinity in 1573.

Joining the Jesuits (1573–1580)

After Douai, Campion traveled alone to Rome. He went there to join the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. In April 1573, he became the first new member accepted by the leader of the Jesuits.

He then went to Brno in Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic). He spent two years training to be a Jesuit. He became a deacon and then a priest in 1578. For six years, Campion taught at the Jesuit college in Prague. He taught both rhetoric and philosophy.

His Mission to England (1580–1581)

In 1580, Edmund Campion was chosen for a special mission to England. The Jesuits told him and his companions not to get involved in politics. They were only there for religious reasons. However, it was a dangerous time. News arrived that a letter about their mission had been found. This meant the English authorities were expecting them.

Edmond Campion's 'Brag and Challenge'
Part of Campion's Challenge to the Privy Council

Campion entered England on June 24, 1580, pretending to be a jewel merchant. He immediately began to preach. Soon, the authorities knew he was there. To fight rumors that his mission was political, Campion wrote a statement. This statement, called the Challenge to the Privy Council or Campion's Brag, explained his true religious purpose.

He lived a life on the run, moving from place to place. He gave sacraments and preached to Catholics in different parts of England. During this time, he wrote Decem Rationes ("Ten Reasons"). This pamphlet argued against the Anglican Church. Four hundred copies were secretly printed and left at St Mary's Church in Oxford in June 1581. This caused a big stir, and the search for Campion became even more intense.

On July 14, 1581, Campion was at Lyford Grange. A spy named George Eliot captured him there. Campion was taken to London. He had a sign on his hat that read: "Campion, the Seditious Jesuit."

Trial and Execution

Edmund Campion's trial began on November 20, 1581. After hearing the arguments, the jury decided that Campion and his friends were guilty of treason.

The judge read the sentence. It meant they would be put to death in a very harsh way. When they heard the sentence, Campion and the others began to sing a hymn. After spending his last days praying, Edmund Campion was taken to Tyburn. He was executed on December 1, 1581, along with two other priests. Campion was 41 years old.

Honoring Saint Edmund Campion

Edmund Campion was declared "blessed" by Pope Leo XIII in 1886. He was made a saint by Pope Paul VI in 1970. His feast day is celebrated on December 1, the day he died.

The actual ropes used in his execution are kept at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire. Each year, they are placed on the altar for Mass to celebrate Campion's feast day. This day is always a holiday for the school.

Schools Named After Campion

Many schools and colleges around the world are named after Saint Edmund Campion, honoring his life and beliefs. Some of these include:

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Edmundo Campion para niños

Sources

  • Campion, Edmund. A Historie of Ireland, written in the yeare 1571., Dublin, 1633. Facsimile ed., 1940, Scholars' Facsimiles & Reprints, ISBN: 978-0-8201-1191-9.
  • De Backer, Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jesus, pp. 98–102. (A complete list of Edmund Campion's works) , etc.
  • Foley, Henry, S.J., Records of the English Province of the Society of Jesus. Vol. III. London: Burns and Oates (1878).
  • Guiney, Louise Imogen, Blessed Edmund Campion, New York: Benziger Brothers (1908)
  • Simpson, Richard, Edmund Campion: a Biography, London: Williams and Norgate (1867)
  • Simpson, Richard, Edmund Campion, (1867). Revised, edited and enlarged by Fr Peter Joseph, Gracewing/Freedom Press (2010) ISBN: 978-0-85244-734-5
  • Waugh, Evelyn, Edmund Campion, London: Williams and Norgate (1935). Sophia Institute Press (1996) ISBN: 0-918477-44-1
  •  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:  "St. Edmund Campion". Catholic Encyclopedia. (1913). New York: Robert Appleton. 
  • Wood, Anthony, 1632–1695, Athenae Oxonienses, cols 473–478, London, 1813.
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