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Divine Providence intervened in 2004 when we had to go to London to apply for study visas for the U.S.A. It was our second wedding anniversary and we had nowhere to stay until we discovered the Tyburn Convent in Marble Arch. This convent is run by the nuns from the Benedictine Adorers of the Sacred Heart and is dedicated to the English martyr's who died for the Catholic Faith at the infamous Tyburn gallows which used to stand in the area. The above picture shows the convent's Martyr's Altar and its inbuilt replica of the original gallows.We mention this because on this date, the first day of December in 1581, the great priest Edmund Campion was hanged, drawn and quartered on the original gallows for the Catholic Faith and for his sacred priesthood.
After his capture, St. Edmund Campion had been visited in the Tower of London by Queen Elizabeth I. She offered him wealth and titles if he rejected his Catholic faith. He refused and was ill treated during several months in the Tower. In response to his eventual sentence of death for being a 'traitor', St. Edmund replied;
In condemning us, you condemn all your own ancestors, all our ancient bishops and kings, all that was once the glory of England; the island of saints, and the most devoted child of the See of Peter.Â
St. Edmund spent his final days in prayer and intercession.Â
Some vestments reputed to have been worn by him to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass prior to his capture are kept in a glass case in the reliquary room at Ladyewell near Preston. We recently blogged from there, but could not get the image of the vestments to come out clearly. Thankfully this problem can now be overcome by clicking on our links page to Fr. Richard Aladics' Friends with Christ blog; where an excellent article and picture of the vestments has been posted today. (Fr. Richard is presently serving 'down under' at the marvellous Campion College in Australia).
What a great way to begin Advent by contemplating one of Great Britain's greatest martyr saints. This would be a good season to read Evelyn Waugh's Edmund Campion - Priest and Martyr. It's on our 'To Do' list!
St. Edmund Campion - Pray for us and the re-conversion of Great Britain in the New Evangelization!
