More’s persistence to remain with the Church rather than the king, ending in martyrdom, was a testament to his tireless devotion to God’s law. He was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935 and was named patron of statesmen and politicians by Pope John Paul II.
I’ve heard something about his beard…?
Yes. You’re not imagining things, don’t worry.
The story with St. Thomas More’s beard is that he laid his beard outside of the execution blade’s path in one final, humorous gesture.
His last words were, “This hath not offended the king,” implying that while his head had angered Henry VIII, his beard was innocent and did not deserve to be severed.
Who was St. John Fisher?
St. John Fisher (1469–1535) was ordained a priest when he was about 22 and was appointed bishop of Rochester in 1504. He lived an intentionally simple lifestyle and was an intellectual. He studied theology at Cambridge, where he became chancellor. Among his writings is a commentary on the seven penitential psalms.
His mission as a bishop was to perfect how the Church’s teachings were conveyed by his diocese. Fisher spent much of his time traveling to parishes with the mission of theologically correcting and realigning clergy. He also wrote various apologetic defenses in response to Martin Luther.
What did he have to do with the whole Henry VIII situation?
St. John Fisher studied Henry’s request for a declaration of nullity but could not find grounds for such a declaration.
He refused to assent to the Succession to the Crown Act 1533, which recognized the king’s supremacy over the Church in England, and declared the daughter of Catherine of Aragon illegitimate and was imprisoned for treason in April 1534.
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Fisher was jailed, starved, and deprived of all sacraments, but he didn’t budge on his position.
Fisher was made a cardinal in May 1535 in the hopes that Henry would not dare execute a prince of the Church.
Please don’t tell me it ended like More’s story…
It didn’t. There was no beard on the line.
However, Fisher was executed, head on the chopping block and all. He removed his hair shirt and said the Te Deum and Psalm 31 right before giving his life for the kingdom of God and the honor of the Church, June 22, 1535. He is the only cardinal to have been martyred.
Why is Fisher a saint?
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