The Martyrs of Gorkum ( nl, Martelaren van Gorcum) were a group of 19

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

clerics, secular and religious, who were hanged on 9 July 1572 in the town of

Brielle Brielle (), also called Den Briel in Dutch and Brill in English, is a town, municipality and historic seaport in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, on the north side of the island of Voorne-Putten, at the mouth of the New ...

by militant Dutch

Calvinists Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John ...

during the 16th-century religious wars—specifically, the

Dutch Revolt The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) ( c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Ref ...

against Spanish rule, which developed into the

Eighty Years' War The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) ( c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Ref ...

Events

In the first half of the 16th century, various forms of

Protestantism Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...

—particularly,

Lutheranism Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

and

Calvinism Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John C ...

—were spreading through Western Europe. In the

Low Countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...

, then under the rule of Spain, Emperor

Charles V Charles V may refer to: * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise * Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690) * Infa ...

and his son King Philip II instituted a systematic campaign to root out the new religious movements, which resulted in political resentment towards the authorities, including the Catholic Church. Inhabitants of the northern Netherlands who were primarily Protestant began to turn against the Catholic priests and monastics present."Geschiedenis van de H. Godefridus van Melveren", Melveren.be
/ref> By 1572 the Netherlands were in open revolt against Spanish rule, while in the internal rivalry among the Protestant denominations, Calvinism managed to suppress Lutheranism. On 1 April of the next year, Calvinist forces and a rebel group called the ''Watergeuzen'' (

Sea Beggars Geuzen (; ; french: Les Gueux) was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called Watergeuzen (; ; frenc ...

) captured Brielle (Den Briel) and later

Vlissingen Vlissingen (; zea, label=Zeelandic, Vlissienge), historically known in English as Flushing, is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the former island of Walcheren. With its strategic l ...

(Flushing).Albers, Petrus Henricus
"The Martyrs of Gorkum"
in ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company (1909). Accessed 9 July 2013. In June,

Dordrecht Dordrecht (), historically known in English as Dordt (still colloquially used in Dutch, ) or Dort, is a city and municipality in the Western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the province's fifth-largest city after ...

and Gorkum fell, and at the latter the rebels captured nine

Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

priests: Nicholas Pieck, guardian of Gorkum; Hieronymus of Weert, vicar; Theodorus van der Eem of Amersfoort; Nicasius Janssen of Heeze; Willehad of Denmark; Godefried of Mervel; Antonius of Weert; Antonius of Hoornaer, and Franciscus de Roye of

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

. To these were added two

lay brother Lay brother is a largely extinct term referring to religious brothers, particularly in the Catholic Church, who focused upon manual service and secular matters, and were distinguished from choir monks or friars in that they did not pray in choir, ...

s from the same friary, Petrus of Assche and Cornelius of

Wijk bij Duurstede Wijk bij Duurstede () is a municipality and a city in the central Netherlands. Population centres * Cothen * Langbroek *Wijk bij Duurstede Topography ''Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Wijk bij Duurstede, 2013.'' City The city ...

. At almost the same time the Calvinists arrested the

parish priest A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...

of Gorkum, Leonardus Vechel of

's-Hertogenbosch s-Hertogenbosch (), colloquially known as Den Bosch (), is a city and municipality in the Netherlands with a population of 157,486. It is the capital of the province of North Brabant and its fourth largest by population. The city is south of ...

, and his assistant. Also imprisoned were Godefried van Duynsen of Gorkum, a priest in his native city, and Joannes Lenartz of Oisterwijk, a

Canon Regular Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by a ...

from a nearby priory and

spiritual director Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of their encounters of the di ...

for the monastery of Augustinian nuns in Gorkum. To these fifteen were later added four more companions: Joannes van Hoornaer (alias known as John of Cologne), a Dominican of the Cologne province and parish priest not far from Gorkum, who when apprised of the incarceration of the clergy of Gorkum hastened to the city in order to administer the sacraments to them and was seized and imprisoned with the rest; Jacobus Lacops of Oudenaar, a

Norbertine The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré (), also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular of the Catholic Church ...

, who became a

curate A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' (''cura'') ''of souls'' of a parish. In this sense, "curate" means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy ...

in Monster, South Holland; Adrianus Janssen of

Hilvarenbeek Hilvarenbeek () is a municipality and a town in the south of the Netherlands, along the border with Belgium. The biggest tourist attraction is called Beekse Bergen, consisting of a safari park, amusement park/playground, holiday bungalow park, a ...

, a

Premonstratensian The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré (), also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular of the Catholic Church ...

canon and at one time parish priest in Monster, who was sent to Brielle with Jacobus Lacops. Last was Andreas Wouters of Heynoord. Johan Zierneels - The Apotheosis of the Martyrs of Gorkum

Johan Zierneels - The Apotheosis of the Martyrs of Gorkum

In prison at Gorkum (from 26 June to 6 July 1572), the first 15 prisoners were transferred to Brielle, arriving there on 8 July. On their way to Dordrecht they were exhibited for money to the curious. The following day,

William de la Marck, Lord of Lumey William II de la Marck (Lummen, 1542 – Bishopric of Liège, 1 May 1578) (Dutch: ''Willem II van der Marck'') was the Dutch Lord of Lumey and initially admiral of the Watergeuzen, the so-called 'sea beggars' who fought in the Eighty Years' W ...

, commander of the '' Gueux de mer'', had them interrogated and ordered a

disputation In the scholastic system of education of the Middle Ages, disputations (in Latin: ''disputationes'', singular: ''disputatio'') offered a formalized method of debate designed to uncover and establish truths in theology and in sciences. Fixed ru ...

. In the meantime, four others arrived. It was demanded of each that he abandon his belief in the

Transubstantiation Transubstantiation (Latin: ''transubstantiatio''; Greek: μετουσίωσις '' metousiosis'') is, according to the teaching of the Catholic Church, "the change of the whole substance of bread into the substance of the Body of Christ and of ...

, the doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the

Blessed Sacrament The Blessed Sacrament, also Most Blessed Sacrament, is a devotional name to refer to the body and blood of Christ in the form of consecrated sacramental bread and wine at a celebration of the Eucharist. The term is used in the Latin Church of th ...

, as well as the belief in the

Papal supremacy Papal supremacy is the doctrine of the Catholic Church that the Pope, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, the visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful, and as pastor of th ...

. All remained firm in their faith. Meanwhile, there came a letter from the

Prince of Orange Prince of Orange (or Princess of Orange if the holder is female) is a title originally associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France and subsequently held by sovereigns in the Netherlands. The titl ...

William the Silent William the Silent (24 April 153310 July 1584), also known as William the Taciturn (translated from nl, Willem de Zwijger), or, more commonly in the Netherlands, William of Orange ( nl, Willem van Oranje), was the main leader of the Dutch Re ...

, which enjoined all those in authority to leave priests and

religious Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatur ...

unmolested. Despite this call, on 9 July, they were hanged in a turfshed.

Veneration

A shrub bearing 19 white flowers is said to have sprung up at the site of their martyrdom. Many miracles have since been attributed to the intercession of the Gorkum Martyrs, especially the curing of hernias.Dominican Friars, Province of St. Joseph (8 July 2012)
"Dominican Saints 101: St. John of Cologne"
Accessed 9 July 2013. The

beatification Beatification (from Latin ''beatus'', "blessed" and ''facere'', "to make”) is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to Intercession of saints, intercede on behalf of individual ...

of the martyrs took place on 14 November 1675, and their

canonization Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of ...

on 29 June 1867."Martyrs of Gorkum", Oxford Reference
/ref> Their elevation to sainthood, which took place on the

Feast of Saints Peter and Paul The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul or Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul is a liturgical feast in honor, of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which is observed on 29 June. The celebration is of ancient Christ ...

, was part of grand celebrations marking 1,800 years since the traditional year for the martyrdom of the two apostles in Rome.McCarthy, Kathleen. "The martyrs of Gorkum - a painting in the Goold collection", ''Footprints'', Volume 30 Issue 2 (Dec 2015), ISSN 0015-9115
/ref> For many years the place of their martyrdom in Brielle has been the scene of numerous

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

s and processions. The reliquary of their remains is now enshrined in the Church of Saint Nicholas, Brussels, Belgium.

The 19 martyrs

There were 11

friars or ''Minderbroeders'' (Friars Minor), one Dominican friar or ''Predikheer'', two

canons regular Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by ...

and a local canon regular, or ''witheren'' and five ''wereldheren'' (

secular clergy In Christianity, the term secular clergy refers to deacons and priests who are not monastics or otherwise members of religious life. A secular priest (sometimes known as a diocesan priest) is a priest who commits themselves to a certain geogr ...

). The 19 put to death on 9 July 1572 were:Butler, Alban
"July 9: SS. Martyrs of Gorcum"
in ''Lives of the Saints'', Vol. VII, (1866). Accessed 9 July 2013. # Leonard van Veghel (born 1527), spokesman, secular priest, and since 1566 pastor of Gorkum # Peter of Assche (born 1530), Franciscan

# Andrew Wouters (born 1542), secular priest, pastor of

Heinenoord Heinenoord is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland on the island Hoekse Waard. It is located about 10 km south of Rotterdam, in the municipality of Hoeksche Waard.Hoeksche Waard The Hoekse Waard (; pre-1947 spelling: Hoeksche Waard) is an island between the Oude Maas, Dordtsche Kil, Hollands Diep, Haringvliet and Spui rivers in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. The island, part of the namesake muni ...

# Nicasius of Heeze (born 1522), Franciscan friar, theologian and priest # Jerome of Weert (born 1522), Franciscan friar, priest, pastor in Gorcum # Anthony of Hoornaar, Franciscan friar and priest # Godfried van Duynen (born 1502), secular priest, former pastor in northern France # Willehad of Denmark (born 1482), Franciscan friar and priest # James Lacobs (born 1541), Norbertine canon # Francis of Roye (born 1549), Franciscan friar and priest # John of Cologne, Dominican friar, pastor in

Hoornaar Hoornaar is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland, in the Alblasserwaard, north of the river Merwede and south of the river Lek. It is a part of the municipality of Molenlanden, and lies about 5 km north of Gorinchem. In 2007, the to ...

near Gorkum # Anthony of Weert (born 1523), Franciscan friar and priest # Theodore of der Eem (born c. 1499–1502), Franciscan friar and priest, chaplain to a community of Franciscan

Tertiary Tertiary ( ) is a widely used but obsolete term for the geologic period from 66 million to 2.6 million years ago. The period began with the demise of the non-avian dinosaurs in the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, at the start ...

Sisters in Gorkum # Cornelius of Wijk bij Duurstede (born 1548), Franciscan lay brother # Adrian van Hilvarenbeek (born 1528), Norbertine canon and pastor in Monster, South Holland # Godfried of Mervel,

Vicar A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pre ...

of Melveren,

Sint-Truiden Sint-Truiden (; french: link=no, Saint-Trond ; li, Sintruin ) is a city and municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium, and has over 41,500 inhabitants, which makes it one of the largest cities in Limburg. The mun ...

(born 1512), Franciscan priest,

vicar A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pre ...

of the friary in Gorkum # Jan of Oisterwijk (born 1504), Augustinian

canon regular Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by a ...

, a chaplain for the

Beguinage A beguinage, from the French term ''béguinage'', is an architectural complex which was created to house beguines: lay religious women who lived in community without taking vows or retiring from the world. Originally the beguine institution was ...

in Gorkum # Nicholas Poppel (born 1532), secular priest,

chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution (such as a hospital, prison, military unit, intelligence ...

in Gorkum # Nicholas Pieck (born 1534), Franciscan friar, priest and theologian,

Guardian Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Unit ...

of the friary in Gorkum, his native city

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Martyrs of Gorkum 16th-century births 1572 deaths Gorkum Dutch Roman Catholic saints Eighty Years' War (1566–1609) History of South Holland Martyred groups Deaths by hanging 16th-century Christian saints Gorkum Martyred Roman Catholic priests Franciscan martyrs Franciscan saints Premonstratensians Canonical Augustinian martyrs Canonical Augustinian saints Dominican martyrs Dominican saints Canonized Roman Catholic religious brothers Canonizations by Pope Pius IX 1572 in Europe Gorinchem Beatifications by Pope Clement X

Events

Veneration

The 19 martyrs

See also

References