Died various Beatified 1929 | Venerated in Roman Catholicism Feast 29 October | |
The Douai Martyrs is a name applied by the Catholic Church to approximately 160 Catholic priests trained in the English College at Douai, France, who were executed by the English state between 1577 and 1680.
Having completed their training at Douai, many returned to England and Wales with the intent to minister to the Catholic population of England, and to undermine the Church of England and the Protestant governments of Elizabeth I and her successors. Many were arrested under charges of treason and conspiracy, resulting in torture and execution.
A large group - more than eighty - were beatified as martyrs by Pope Pius XI in 1929. Today, British Catholic dioceses celebrate their feast days. [1]
The Douay Martyrs School in Ickenham, Middlesex is named in their honour.