Martyrs of the Reformation Era
Today, we remember the Martyrs of the Reformation Era.
The Collect:
Almighty and Most Merciful God, give to your Church that peace which the world cannot give, and grant that those who have been divided on earth may be reconciled in heaven, and share together in the vision of your glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Roman Catholic Church commemorates the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales on this date: men and women who were executed for treason between 1535 and 1679 for their allegiance to the Catholic Church. In recent years, the Church of England has shared this commemoration, broadening it to all of the English saints and martyrs of the Reformation era. This commemoration remembers not only Anglican martyrs like Thomas Cranmer, Hugh Latimer, and Nicholas Ridley, who died for their adherence to the Church of England, but those Catholics who were killed by Anglicans - along with all other Christians who were persecuted by their fellow Christians for their beliefs, most notably the Anabaptists and the Quakers. *
* Lesser Feasts & Fasts 2018, via The Lectionary, http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/martyrs_reformation.html
