Thomas Belson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BlessedThomas Belson |
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Plaque commemorating the deaths of four Catholic martyrs on Longwall St, Oxford, UK.
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| Martyr | |
| Born | c. 1563 Brill, Buckinghamshire |
| Died | 5 July 1589 (aged 35 - 36) Holywell, Oxford |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 22 November 1987 by Pope John Paul II |
| Feast | 5 July |
Thomas Belson (born around 1563, died July 5, 1589) was an English man who was a Roman Catholic and became a martyr. He was recognized as "Blessed" in 1987.
Contents
The Story of Thomas Belson
Early Life and Studies
Thomas Belson was born in a place called Brill, in Buckinghamshire, England. We don't know his exact birth date, but it was around 1563. His father's name was Augustine Belson.
Thomas went to study at St Mary's Hall, Oxford, which was part of Oriel College. Later, he studied at a Catholic school in Reims.
Facing Danger
In 1584, Thomas Belson returned to England. At that time, it was very dangerous to be a Catholic in England. He was soon arrested and put in the Tower of London.
After some time, in 1586, he was sent away from England. But he came back.
His Final Days
In 1589, Thomas was in Aston Rowant, Oxfordshire. He managed to escape capture and ran to a place called Ixhill Lodge in Oakley, Buckinghamshire. There, he hid in a secret hiding spot called a priest hole. These were special places built into houses to hide Catholic priests and those who helped them.
After a few days, he went to Oxford. He was arrested again at an inn called the Catherine Wheel. He was with his priest, George Nicols, another priest named Richard Yaxley, and a servant named Humphrey Pritchard.
They were all sent to London for questioning. After being questioned and facing difficult times, they were sent back to Oxford for a trial.
Thomas Belson was found guilty of helping priests. In those days, this was a serious crime. He was executed in Oxford on July 5, 1589.
A Special Recognition
Many years later, in 1987, Thomas Belson and his friends were among 85 people recognized as "Blessed" by Pope John Paul II. These people are known as the eighty-five martyrs of England and Wales. A special plaque was put up in Oxford in 2008 to remember these four Catholic martyrs.
A book about Thomas Belson, called "Blessed Thomas Belson: His Life and Times 1563 - 1589", was written in 1988 by Christine Kelly. It tells the story of how brave English Catholics were when following their faith could lead to death.
See also
