Saints

Sts John Fisher and Thomas More

22 Jun 2024 2019

A Yorkshire draper’s son, John was one of the “new men” of Tudor England, a distinguished scholar at Cambridge University who was ordained at age 22.

Privately austere, John held several high offices: chaplain to a king’s mother, vice chancellor and chancellor of Cambridge, bishop of Rochester, counsellor to Catherine of Aragon during King Henry VIII’s divorce proceedings against her.

But John steadfastly refused to accept Henry as head of the church in England, and was imprisoned.

The pope named him a cardinal, which further enraged Henry, who ordered John’s beheading.

He shares this feast with his friend and fellow martyr, Thomas More; their heads were impaled on London Bridge two weeks apart.

Text: Catholic News Service