Richard Reynolds (martyr) facts for kids

Saint Richard Reynolds (born around 1492 – died May 4, 1535) was an English monk. He belonged to a religious group called the Bridgettines. He was put to death in London because he refused to accept the Oath of Supremacy. This oath would have recognized King Henry VIII of England as the head of the Church in England.

In 1970, Pope Paul VI declared him a saint. He is one of the group known as the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.

Who Was Richard Reynolds?

Richard Reynolds was a Bridgettine monk at Syon Abbey. This abbey was a monastery founded by King Henry V near Twickenham. Richard was born in Devon, England, around 1492.

He studied at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. In 1513, he joined Syon Abbey. People said he was very smart and knew three important languages: Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.

Reynolds and Elizabeth Barton

Richard Reynolds was a respected spiritual advisor at Syon Abbey. He likely gave advice to Elizabeth Barton, also known as the "Holy Maid of Kent." Elizabeth Barton had spoken out against King Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn. She was executed about a year before Reynolds.

Reynolds had even helped arrange a meeting between Elizabeth Barton and Thomas More. Because of his connection to Barton, the king's officers became suspicious of Reynolds.

Why Was Richard Reynolds Arrested?

Richard Reynolds was arrested and put in the Tower of London in April 1535. Three other monks, John Houghton, Robert Lawrence, and Augustine Webster, were also arrested with him.

All four were put on trial. Their main charge was refusing to accept the King's supremacy. This meant they would not agree that the King was the supreme head of the Church in England.

The Charges Against Reynolds

Reynolds faced an extra charge. He was accused of trying to convince people not to accept the king's authority. A witness claimed that Reynolds had said that Queen Catherine was the true queen.

Reynolds said he had not spoken against the king, except during a private confession. At that time, it was common for people to be forced to accuse their confessors.

The Execution of Richard Reynolds

On May 4, 1535, Richard Reynolds and the three other monks were executed in London. They were dragged through the streets to a place called Tyburn. They were put to death in a very harsh way.

Also executed that day was John Haile, a local priest. He was also found guilty of treason for speaking against the king's marriage. Richard Reynolds was the first person to refuse the oath. Parts of his body were displayed in different parts of London, including at the gate of Syon Abbey.

Thomas More's View

William Roper, who wrote a book about Thomas More, said that More saw Reynolds and his friends going to their execution from his window in the Tower of London. More reportedly told his daughter, Meg: "These blessed fathers be now as cheerfully going to their deaths as bridegrooms to their marriage."

More believed that these monks, who had lived very strict and religious lives, were now going to a better place.

Veneration and Legacy

Richard Reynolds was declared "blessed" in 1886. Later, he was made a saint by Pope Paul VI on October 25, 1970. His special day, or feast day, is May 4.

Commemorations and Relics

• A statue of Saint Richard Reynolds can be found in a church in Isleworth.
• There is a painting of him in a church in Rome.
• A stained glass window showing him is in St Etheldreda's Church in Ely Place.
• A piece of the dissolved Syon Abbey is considered a relic. This is because it held parts of Reynolds' body after his execution. The nuns of the Abbey kept this piece after the monasteries were closed down.

Patronage

Saint Richard Reynolds is the patron saint of St Richard Reynolds Catholic College in Twickenham. This college includes both a high school and a primary school for students aged 4 to 18.

See also

• Syon Abbey
• Forty Martyrs of England and Wales

|Illustration from "The Angel of Syon" by Dom Adam Hamilton, O.S.B. </gallery>