Monday, July 06, 2009

July 6th: Anniversary of St. Thomas More's Martyrdom

A reader has reminded me that today is the date St. Thomas More was actually martyred, even though we celebrate his feast on the 22nd of June. I thought I'd observe the anniversary of his martyrdom with pictures .


St. Thomas More's cell in the Tower of London. From these arrow slits, the saint and his daughter witnessed the first of the Carthusian Martyrs being led out to Tyburn Tree to be hanged, drawn and quartered.


How's this for a second-class relic: St. Thomas More's hat.



A saint pays homage to a saint. St. Josemaria Escriva had a great devotion to St. Thomas More. Here he is at St. Dunstan's, Canterbury, before the Roper vault, where Thomas' head was buried in the arms of his daughter Margaret.

3 comments:

  1. Not me! :((((((((((((((

    The pics are all linked to their sources. This hat is owned by the Jesuit College of Stonyhurst, which possesses many second-class relics of the saint. According to Catholic Encyclopedia, most of these came from his last male heir, Fr. Thomas More, S.J.

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  2. Forgot to add: Fr. Thomas More, S.J. died in 1795.

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