Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was an English archbishop and martyr, famously murdered by knights of Henry II at Canterbury Cathedral. After his death, his tomb and relics became a focus for pilgrimage and he was made a saint. Thomas Becket was born in Cheapside, London, to reasonably affluent Norman parents who had settled in England some years earlier. He was given a good…
Read MoreElizabeth Alexandra
Queen Elizabeth II had a strong Christian faith, evident throughout her life in her words and actions. As well as her formal role as ‘Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England’, which came with monarchy, her personal faith was evident even before she was crowned. ‘Pray for me … that…
Read MoreThomas More
Today we know Sir Thomas More primarily as the author of Utopia, and as one of the more famous martyrs of Henry VIII’s reign. The popular image is of a man – principled, steadfast, courageous – who placed his own conscience above his king’s demands. Yet if you were to ask More’s contemporaries to describe…
Read MoreJoan of Arc
There are few figures from the Middle Ages, male or female, more well-represented in the historical record than Joan of Arc. Her life, though short, was so extraordinary that she continues to be held in high esteem, is the object of continued research and study in academia, is the patron saint of France, and remains…
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