St. Thomas More (1478-1535)
St. Thomas More was born in London. He studied at Oxford and became a lawyer, after considering joining a monastery. In 1517 he began working for King Henry VIII as secretary, confidant, interpreter, diplomat and Speaker of the House of Commons. He was appointed Lord Chancellor in 1529.
It was in this role that he refused to accept Henry VIII as supreme head of the Church in England and Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon. He resigned and continued to fight against the King’s divorce. In 1534 he was arrested as he would not sign an oath that required him to refuse to accept the Pope but to acknowledge King Henry VIII’s divorce. He was tried for treason and executed on Tower Hill in 1535.
St. Thomas More was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 and canonised by Pope Pius XI in 1935. His feast day is on 22nd June and shared with St. John Fisher, a bishop who was also beheaded on King Henry VIII’s orders for not signing the oath. Pope John Paul II declared St. Thomas more as patron saint of statesmen and politicians.
St. Thomas More was born in London. He studied at Oxford and became a lawyer, after considering joining a monastery. In 1517 he began working for King Henry VIII as secretary, confidant, interpreter, diplomat and Speaker of the House of Commons. He was appointed Lord Chancellor in 1529.
It was in this role that he refused to accept Henry VIII as supreme head of the Church in England and Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon. He resigned and continued to fight against the King’s divorce. In 1534 he was arrested as he would not sign an oath that required him to refuse to accept the Pope but to acknowledge King Henry VIII’s divorce. He was tried for treason and executed on Tower Hill in 1535.
St. Thomas More was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 and canonised by Pope Pius XI in 1935. His feast day is on 22nd June and shared with St. John Fisher, a bishop who was also beheaded on King Henry VIII’s orders for not signing the oath. Pope John Paul II declared St. Thomas more as patron saint of statesmen and politicians.