St Edmund Campion was also known as the Pope’s Champion.
He was a Jesuit priest martyred by the government of Queen Elizabeth I.
He was born on January 25 1540 in London, England, and died as a martyr on December 1 1581 in Tyburn, London, England.
We celebrate his feast day on December 1 as one of the Martyrs of Oxford University, on May 4 with other English Martyrs, on October 25 collectively with Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, and on October 29 as one of the Douai Martyrs.
| St Edmund Campion Biography | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Date of Birth | January 25 1540 |
| Place of Birth | London, England |
| Profession | Jesuit priest |
| Place of Work | England |
| Date of Death | December 1 1581 |
| Place of Death | Tyburn, England |
| Feast Day | December 1 |
| Beatification | By Pope Leo XIII on December 29 1886 in Rome |
| Canonization | By Pope Paul VI on October 25 1970 in Rome |
| Patron Saint of | United Kingdom |
St Edmund Campion’s Life History
St. Edmund Campion, born on January 25, 1540, in London, England, was the son of a bookseller named Edmund, whose family had converted to Anglicanism.
Initially, he planned to follow in his father’s trade footsteps, but he received a scholarship to attend Saint John’s College, Oxford, thanks to the support of Queen Elizabeth I’s favorite courtier, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Campion became a renowned and sought-after speaker during this time.
While teaching at Oxford University, he was ordained as a deacon in the Anglican Church in 1568, a position offered to him by Queen Elizabeth.
However, a crisis of conscience led him to identify with Roman Catholicism. He fled from England and ultimately converted to Catholicism at Douai in northern France in 1573 and then traveled to Rome to join the Society of Jesus.
He was ordained as a priest in 1578. A year later he entered the Jesuit Order in Rome. As a novice, he experienced in a garden a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary foretelling his martyrdom in England.
After some time in Bohemia, Campion embarked on a significant mission in 1580 as part of the first group of Jesuits sent to minister to Catholics in England, who were facing strict religious prohibitions. He crossed the English Channel in disguise, posing as a jewel merchant.
Working closely with Jesuit brother Saint Nicholas Owen, Campion wrote a document known as “Campion’s Brag,” describing his religious mission in London and emphasizing its non-political nature.
This document was widely distributed and encouraged many Catholics to remain steadfast in their faith. Unlike some of his contemporaries like Robert Parsons, Campion deliberately avoided any political involvement in the name of his religion.
Campion’s activities drew attention when he distributed 400 copies of his pamphlet “Decem rationes” denouncing Anglicanism before a service at St. Mary’s, Oxford, on June 27, 1581.
Unfortunately, he was arrested in Lyford, Berkshire, on July 17, 1581, by a spy and taken to the Tower of London.
Despite severe torture, Campion steadfastly refused to renounce his religious beliefs. As a result, his captors concocted charges of conspiracy against the queen.
He was subsequently convicted of treason and met a gruesome end, being hanged, drawn, and quartered on December 1, 1581, at Tyburn in London. Parts of his body were displayed at each of the city gates as a warning to other Catholics.
Relics of St. Edmund Campion can be found in various locations, including Rome, Prague, London, Oxford, Stonyhurst, and Roehampton. Campion Hall at Oxford University was named in his honor.
St. Edmund Campion was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on December 29, 1886, in Rome and canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 25, 1970, in Rome.
His feast day is celebrated on December 1 as one of the Martyrs of Oxford University, on May 4 with other English Martyrs, on October 25 collectively with the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, and on October 29 as one of the Douai Martyrs.
St. Edmund Campion is often depicted in art with attributes such as a knife in his chest, a noose around his neck, a crucifix, a Bible, and a martyr’s palm.
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