List of Catholic martyrs of the English Reformation facts for kids
The English Reformation was a big change in England's history, especially for religion. It happened between 1534 and 1680. During this time, many people who stayed loyal to the Catholic Church were put to death. These men and women are known as martyrs by the Catholic Church. This article focuses on those who died in Kingdom of England.
In 1570, Pope Pius V made a special announcement called a "papal bull" (a serious order from the Pope). It said that England's Queen Elizabeth I was no longer part of the Catholic Church. It also told Catholics that they should not obey her. Because of this, the English government made new laws in 1571. These laws said it was against the law to follow the Pope's authority. This included being a Jesuit (a Catholic priest), being Catholic, or even hiding a Catholic priest. People found guilty of these things faced very serious punishments, including death.
Later, Pope Gregory XIII (who was Pope from 1572 to 1585) allowed 63 of these martyrs to be honored. Their relics (special items connected to them) could be respected, and their pictures could be painted for Catholic devotions (religious practices). These martyrs were later formally "beatified" by Pope Leo XIII. Beatification is a step towards becoming a saint in the Catholic Church. Fifty-four were beatified in 1886, and nine more in 1895. Many more martyrs were recognized later on.
Contents
Recognizing Saints and Blesseds
The Catholic Church has a special process to recognize people who lived very holy lives or died for their faith. These people can become "Blessed" or "Saints." Being "canonized" means someone is officially declared a saint.
First Saints: Thomas More and John Fisher
Two of the most famous Catholic martyrs were made saints on May 19, 1935. They were:
- John Fisher (1469–1535): He was a bishop (a high-ranking church leader) in Rochester.
- Thomas More (1478–1535): He was a married man who worked for the King. He is known for his strong beliefs.
More Saints from 1970
On October 25, 1970, many more martyrs were made saints. They are often called the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. Here are some of them:
- John Houghton (c. 1487–1535): A priest from the Carthusian order.
- Edmund Campion (c. 1540–1581): A Jesuit priest.
- Margaret Clitherow (1556–1586): A married woman who helped Catholic priests.
- Nicholas Owen (c. 1550–1606): A Jesuit who was known for building secret hiding places for priests.
- Robert Southwell (1561–1595): A Jesuit priest and a poet.
- Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel (1557–1595): A nobleman who died in prison for his faith.
Later Saints
- Oliver Plunkett (1625–1681): He was an Archbishop from Ireland. He was made a saint on October 12, 1975.
- John Ogilvie (1579–1615): A Jesuit priest from Scotland. He was made a saint on October 17, 1976.
Many Were Declared "Blessed"
Being "Blessed" is an important step before becoming a saint. Many Catholic martyrs from the English Reformation have been declared Blessed.
Beatified in 1886
Many people were declared Blessed on December 29, 1886. Besides John Fisher and Thomas More (who later became saints), there were others like:
- John Forest (died 1538): A Franciscan priest.
- Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury (1473–1541): A noblewoman related to the royal family.
- Edmund Campion (c. 1540–1581): A Jesuit priest.
Beatified in 1895
Nine more martyrs were declared Blessed on May 13, 1895. These included:
- Adrian Fortescue (c. 1480–1539): A knight and a married man.
- Richard Whiting (died 1539): An abbot (head of a monastery) of Glastonbury.
- Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland (1528–1572): A nobleman.
Beatified in 1929
A large group of 136 martyrs were declared Blessed on December 15, 1929. This group is known as the One Hundred and Seven Martyrs of England and Wales. Some of them include:
- Ralph Ashley (died 1607): A Jesuit priest.
- John Cornelius (died 1594): A Jesuit priest.
- William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford (died 1680): A nobleman.
Beatified in 1987
On November 22, 1987, Pope John Paul II declared 85 more martyrs as Blessed. They are known as the Eighty-five martyrs of England and Wales. Some of these were:
- Thomas Bullaker (died 1642): A Franciscan priest.
- William Carter (died 1584): A layman (a person who is not a priest).
- Nicholas Postgate (died 1679): A priest.
Why People Were Executed
During the reign of Henry VIII of England, England broke away from the Pope and the Catholic Church. Later, under Queen Elizabeth I, laws were made to stop people from practicing Catholicism.
- In 1570, the Pope said that Queen Elizabeth I was no longer a true ruler. This made the Queen's government very worried about Catholics in England.
- New laws made it illegal to support the Pope, use Catholic prayer books, or bring Catholic religious items into England.
- It also became a crime to try and convert people to Catholicism or to attend Catholic Mass.
- Later, it was even made a crime punishable by death for English people to go overseas to become Catholic priests.
These laws led to many Catholics being arrested and executed for their faith.
Images for kids
-
Sir Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher were among the first to be recognized as saints.
-
John Houghton was a Carthusian priest who died for his faith.
-
Sir Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland, was beatified in 1895.
-
A picture showing some of the One Hundred and Seven Martyrs of England and Wales.
-
Thomas Bullaker was a Franciscan priest.
See also
