John Forbes (friar) facts for kids

John Forbes (1571–1606) was a Scottish Capuchin friar. He was also known as Father Archangel. He lived a short but interesting life, becoming a religious leader in a time of big changes.

John Forbes' Early Life

John Forbes was born in 1571. His father was John Forbes, 8th Lord Forbes. His mother was Lady Margaret Gordon. She was the daughter of George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly. Lord Huntly was a leader for Scottish Catholics during the the Reformation. This was a time when many people in Scotland were changing from Catholic to Protestant.

John's father was a Protestant. He eventually sent John's mother away because she was Catholic. But John and his older brother, William, stayed Catholic. William even went to Flanders and joined the Capuchin order. Their uncle, James Gordon, was also a Jesuit, another Catholic religious group.

Becoming a Capuchin Friar

John Forbes wanted to join a religious order. He secretly left Scotland. He changed clothes with a shepherd boy to avoid being recognized. Then, he crossed the sea to Antwerp. In Antwerp, a Spanish soldier arrested him. They thought he was a spy and put him in prison at Antwerp Citadel.

After he was set free, John learned the Flemish language and Latin. On August 2, 1593, he became a novice. This means he started training to be a Capuchin friar. He joined the Capuchin monastery in Tournai. One year later, he made his final promises to the order.

Life as Father Archangel

John lived in Capuchin houses in Bruges and Antwerp. He was known as Father Archangel. There is a story that he helped 300 Scottish soldiers in Diksmuide become Catholic.

His mother later came to Flanders to be with her sons. The king of Spain gave her money to live on. She passed away in Ghent on January 1, 1606. John Forbes died just seven months later, on August 2, 1606. He was buried in the Capuchin Church in Termonde. His brother William, who was also called Father Archangel, had died earlier, in 1592.

Stories About John Forbes

People wrote books about John Forbes' life. One book was written in Latin by Faustinus Cranius. It was called Alter Alexius. This book was later translated into Italian.

An English version of his life story was printed in Douay in 1623. This book included a picture of John Forbes. It also had stories about other religious figures. These stories had first appeared in French in Paris in 1621.