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Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- General
- Scottish Sun
Church seeks to exhume head of Catholic martyr Sir Thomas More… 500 years after it was put on a pike
The remains could be on public display for the anniversary of More's death BIG DIG Church seeks to exhume head of Catholic martyr Sir Thomas More… 500 years after it was put on a pike Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE head of Sir Thomas More, the Catholic martyr and former Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII, could soon be dug up, five centuries after it was boiled and placed on a pike. St Dunstan's Church in Canterbury has revealed plans to exhume and preserve the centuries-old relic, with hopes of putting it on display. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The remains of Catholic martyr Sir Thomas More may be exhumed Credit: Alamy 4 The former Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII was executed for his beliefs in 1535 Credit: Getty 4 St Dunstan's, an Anglican church in Canterbury, Kent, has made the bid to dig up the severed head Credit: Alamy The remains would be placed in a shrine in 2035, lining up with the 500th anniversary of More's execution. More was Henry VIII's lord chancellor but was best known for defying the King and was executed for treason in 1535 in Tower Hill, London. The lawyer, author and philosopher refused to accept Henry as head of the newly formed Church of England - a decision that cost him his life. While his body was buried in the Tower of London, his head was parboiled and mounted on a spike on London Bridge as a grim warning to others thinking of crossing the king. More's daughter, Margaret Roper, secretly recovered the head, reportedly preserving it in spices and keeping it with her for the rest of her life. When she died in 1544, the head was buried alongside her and in 1578, her remains, along with her father's head, were transferred to the Roper family vault at St Dunstan's Church, where it's been ever since. Now, church leaders say the time has come to unearth what remains and preserve it using modern conservation techniques. A statement read to the congregation at St Dunstan's last Sunday confirmed that the parochial church council (PCC) has agreed to begin the process if granted permission, The Times reported. It read: "What the PCC has agreed, subject to all the right permissions being granted, is to exhume and conserve what remains of the relic, which will take several years to dry out and stabilise. "We could just put it back in the vault, maybe in a reliquary of some kind, or we could place the reliquary in some sort of shrine or carved stone pillar above ground in the Roper chapel, which is what many of our visitors have requested. "We'd really appreciate your ideas and thoughts." Controversy as Disgraced Cardinal Chosen for Pope Francis's Funeral The move could turn the quiet Kent parish into a major draw for pilgrims, tourists, and history buffs but first, the church needs the green light from church authorities. It would also require around £50,000 in donations to make it happen. The relic could take several years to fully stabilise and dry, but once conserved, the church plans to either place it back in the vault or move it into a custom-built shrine or stone pillar inside the chapel. Visitors have reportedly been asking to see the relic for years, and the church is now inviting ideas from the community about how best to honour More's legacy. The church hopes to raise tens of thousands of pounds to fund expert archaeologists and conservation specialists but Rev Jo Richards, rector of the benefice, said early reaction from the congregation has been positive. Church courts don't often approve exhumations, but in this case, supporters hope More's global significance as a saint, scholar, and martyr will help make the case. More is also officially regarded as a holy relic by the Catholic Church, which could help the Church's case. He was a respected lawyer and the author of Utopia, a visionary text imagining an ideal society but was also a firm defender of the Catholic faith. While he's remembered for his courage and moral conviction, More also played a part in persecuting heretics, those who had different beliefs, defending their executions in his writings. Even so, his private life was marked by generosity, wit, and deep religious devotion, according to those who knew him. His friend Erasmus called him 'the most virtuous man in England'. If the project goes ahead, work could begin in the next few years, with the shrine ready in time for the anniversary in 2035.
Herald Malaysia
4 days ago
- General
- Herald Malaysia
Church of St Thomas More marks triduum and milestone with joy
Parishioners of the Church of St Thomas More came together in a spirit of joy and thanksgiving for a meaningful Triduum celebration in honour of their patron saint. Jul 11, 2025 Fr Alvin Ng SJ incensing the Blessed Sacrament. By Angelica Bridget BatemanParishioners of the Church of St Thomas More came together in a spirit of joy and thanksgiving for a meaningful Triduum celebration in honour of their patron saint. The celebration coincided with the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, and was made even more special by a historic milestone: the formal Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC), officially recognising the building as a church. The Triduum began on Friday evening with a Mass celebrated by parish priest, Msgr Patrick Boudville, who called the faithful to reflect on the unwavering faith and moral courage of St Thomas More, a man of integrity who remained steadfast in his beliefs even to the point of martyrdom. Over the weekend, the Masses were celebrated by Jesuit priests, honouring the Jesuit community's foundational role in the parish's early days. On Saturday evening, Fr Alberto Irenaeus, SJ, celebrated the 6.00pm Mass, preaching on the peace that flows from the Eucharist. He encouraged the congregation to draw from Christ's real presence as a source of healing and reconciliation in a divided world. A warm fellowship dinner followed, fostering community bonds and joyful connection among parishioners. On Sunday morning, Fr Richard Anthonysamy, SJ, presided over the 8.30am Mass, reminding the faithful that strength in trials often comes from the Eucharist. He highlighted how saints like St Thomas More drew grace and courage from the sacrament. A breakfast fellowship followed, continuing the spirit of unity. The celebration culminated with a vibrant 11.30am Mass presided by Fr Alvin Ng, SJ, who delivered a powerful homily on how God can use our brokenness for His greater glory — just as Jesus was broken for the world. He invited the congregation to reflect on St Thomas More's life as a willing sacrifice, lived in full trust of God's purpose. The Mass concluded with a solemn benediction and a procession to bless the newly completed church car park — a visible sign of the parish's ongoing growth and development. More than a feast day, this Triduum became a living testimony to the presence and power of Christ in the Eucharist — especially poignant during the celebration of Corpus Christi. As the Church honoured the Body and Blood of Christ, parishioners were reminded that the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Catholic faith — the strength by which the Church lives, grows, and serves. For the community of St Thomas More, this milestone serves as a renewal of their call to be a Eucharistic people: united in love, nourished by grace, and sent forth in mission. Inspired by their patron saint, who in his final words declared, 'I die the King's good servant, but God's first,' may the faithful continue to live with courage, joy, and unwavering integrity in service to Christ.
New York Post
5 days ago
- General
- New York Post
English church wants to exhume skull of Tudor saint decapitated by Henry VIII
An English church wants to exhume and preserve the remains of a martyr whose head was lopped off and speared on a London Bridge spike. St. Dunstan's Church in Canterbury is asking parochial leaders to open its tomb of Thomas More ahead of the 500th anniversary of his 1535 murder, the Times of London reported. More, a Tudor lawyer to the English monarchy, was decapitated on Tower Hill on the orders of King Henry VIII after refusing to recognize the axe-happy monarch as the head of the Church of England during the English Reformation's separation from the Vatican. St. Thomas More was executed in 1535 after he refused to recognize King Henry VII as head of the church. Getty Images After the execution More's body was tossed in a mass grave at the Tower of London, while his head was parboiled and stuck on a spike over the Thames for passersby to see. And it would have been tossed into the river had More's daughter not paddled down the waterway and retrieved it — and kept it preserved and hidden away until she died years later, with the head being encased in lead and buried with her at St. Dunstan's, according to legend. Over the coming centuries More gained a following as devotee of his faith, and in 1935 — the 400th anniversary of his execution — was made a saint by the Vatican. And now the church council at St. Dunstan's wants to exhume whatever remains of More's skull to begin preserving it for the 500th anniversary of his death, but needs permission from Canterbury's commissary court before any action can be taken, the Times reported. 'We could just put it back in the vault, maybe in a reliquary of some kind, or we could place the reliquary in some sort of shrine or carved stone pillar above ground in the Roper chapel, which is what many of our visitors have requested,' St. Dunstan's said in a statement. More's skull is entombed at St. Dunstan's Church in Canterbury. Benefice of St. Dunstan / Facebook Nobody is quite sure what state the skull's remains are even in. The vault containing the skull was accidentally opened in 1835 during construction, and in 1997 it was placed in a secured niche in the vault's wall — but it hasn't been seen since. During both of those years, the lead casing around the skull was seen broken open and the bones were fragmented. 'Having the relic deteriorating in a vault is not good enough for many who venerate Thomas More. He's here, he's staying here — despite many of our Catholic visitors who would like him back — and we need to consider our ecumenical responsibility,' the church added. The exhumation would seek to preserve whatever remains of the skull, and the church is seeking nearly $70,000 in donations for the process.
Telegraph
5 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Thomas More's head may be exhumed 500 years after it was put on a pike
Thomas More's head could be exhumed 500 years after it was put on a pike on London Bridge. St Dunstan's, an Anglican church in Canterbury where the remains of the Tudor lawyer lie in a vault, has applied for permission to have them unearthed to potentially place in a shrine. Henry VIII's lord chancellor was put to death in 1535, after refusing to recognise the king as head of the Church of England when he declared independence from Rome during the Reformation. More was martyred by the Vatican in 1935, meaning his remains are considered a holy relic in Catholicism. The parochial church council (PCC) at St Dunstan's is looking to prepare More's remains in time for the 500th anniversary of his death in 2035, but requires permission from the commissary court in Canterbury, which rules on church buildings and grounds, The Times reported. More was an influential theologian whose 1516 book Utopia described the political system of an imagined ideal state. The philosopher was a fierce critic of the Protestant Reformation, and opposed Henry VIII's separation from the Catholic Church. More, who is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, was buried in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London, but his head – after being parboiled – was placed on a pike on London Bridge. His daughter, Margaret Roper, rescued the head to prevent it from being thrown into the Thames, and is believed to have kept it in spices for the rest of her life. The head was buried with her when she died in 1544, and when her body was transferred to the Roper family grave at St Dunstan's in 1578 it was brought along. It has been stored in a vault behind metal bars at St Dunstan's ever since. Plans to conserve and enshrine Congregants at St Dunstan's were informed of the church's decision to exhume the remains last Sunday, The Times reported. A statement said: 'What the PCC has agreed, subject to all the right permissions being granted, is to exhume and conserve what remains of the relic, which will take several years to dry out and stabilise. 'We could just put it back in the vault, maybe in a reliquary of some kind, or we could place the reliquary in some sort of shrine or carved stone pillar above ground in the Roper chapel, which is what many of our visitors have requested. We'd really appreciate your ideas and thoughts.' The church will seek to raise £50,000 from More's devotees to pay expert archaeologists for the conservation project, it was reported.
Wall Street Journal
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
‘Thomas More' Review: A Persecutor and a Martyr
On July 6, 1535, Thomas More, former Lord chancellor of England, was executed. Five days prior, he had been convicted of denying Henry VIII's title as supreme head of the Church of England. This title was the cornerstone of the English Reformation and denial of it constituted treason. On his last morning More was escorted from the Tower of London, where he had been imprisoned for more than a year. Traditionally, traitors were half-hanged, disemboweled alive, then drawn and quartered. More, long the king's servant, was spared this gruesome fate in favor of beheading. The witnesses to his death were few, as the government feared riots. Ill and frail, More mounted the scaffold and asked for prayers. 'I die the King's good servant,' he said, 'and God's first.' Moments later resounded the thud of ax on block. Renowned in his life as a man of letters, More has been revered as a Catholic martyr since his death. He was only canonized in 1935, however, and his popular fame has relied on dramatic depictions of his confrontation with Henry VIII. The most famous of these is the 1966 Oscar-winning film adaptation of Robert Bolt's play 'A Man for All Seasons,' which cast More as a noble, principled resister of tyranny. Provoked by this depiction, Hilary Mantel in 'Wolf Hall' (2009) portrayed More as a sadistic religious fanatic and a creepy domestic tyrant. Behind these rival mythologies was an actual man, whose complex life defies facile moralizing. More, to be sure, has not lacked for biographers. Dozens have appeared across the centuries. Joanne Paul's 'Thomas More: A Life' is a worthy addition. Ms. Paul, a university lecturer in Britain, is also a broadcaster, popular writer and historical adviser. Her books on Tudor history achieve that increasingly rare balance between expertise and style. This book beautifully captures both the life of a fascinating man and the fading world that he died trying to preserve. More's life had the arc of a Shakespearean tragedy. He was born in 1478 during the Wars of the Roses, which established the Tudor dynasty. His father served as a judge of the King's Bench, the very court that would eventually convict his son of treason. More himself was educated at Oxford and the Inns of Court.
