Philip Evans, SJ and John Lloyd were Welsh Catholic priests killed in the aftermath of the alleged

Popish Plot The Popish Plot was a fictitious conspiracy invented by Titus Oates that between 1678 and 1681 gripped the kingdoms of England and Scotland in anti-Catholic hysteria. Oates alleged that there was an extensive Catholic conspiracy to assassinat ...

. They are among the

Forty Martyrs of England and Wales The Forty Martyrs of England and Wales or Cuthbert Mayne and Thirty-Nine Companion Martyrs are a group of Catholic Church, Catholic, lay and religious, men and women, executed between 1535 and 1679 for treason and related offences under variou ...

Philip Evans

Philip Evans was born in

Monmouth Monmouth ( or ; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Monmouthshire, Wales, situated on where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. The population in the 2011 census was 10,508, rising from 8 ...

in 1645, and educated at Jesuit College of St. Omer (in

Artois Artois ( , ; ; Picard: ''Artoé;'' English adjective: ''Artesian'') is a region of northern France. Its territory covers an area of about 4,000 km2 and it has a population of about one million. Its principal cities include Arras (Dutch: ...

, now in France). He joined the

Society of Jesus The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rome. It was founded in 1540 ...

in Watten on 7 September 1665, and was ordained at

Liège Liège ( ; ; ; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the Liège Province, province of Liège, Belgium. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east o ...

(now in Belgium) and sent to

South Wales South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...

as a

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

in 1675. He worked in Wales for four years, and despite the official anti-Catholic policy no action was taken against him. When the Oates' scare swept the country both Lloyd and Evans were caught up in the aftermath. In November 1678 John Arnold, of Llanvihangel Court near

Abergavenny Abergavenny (; , , archaically , ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community in Monmouthshire, Wales. Abergavenny is promoted as a "Gateway to Wales"; it is approximately from the England–Wales border, border with England and is loca ...

, a justice of the peace and hunter of priests, offered a reward of £200 () for his arrest. Despite the manifest dangers Evans steadfastly refused to leave his flock. He was arrested at the home of Christopher Turberville at Sker, Glamorgan, on 4 December 1678. Ironically the posse which arrested him is said to have been led by Turberville's brother, the notorious

priest hunter A priest hunter was a person who, acting on behalf of the English and later British government, spied on or captured Catholic priests during Penal Times. Priest hunters were effectively bounty hunters. Some were volunteers, experienced soldiers ...

Edward Turberville.

John Lloyd

John Lloyd, a Welshman and a

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

(a priest not associated with any religious order), was a

Breconshire Brecknockshire ( or ), also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon, was one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was created in 1536 under the Laws in Wales ...

man. He was educated at St. Omer's and from 1649 at the English College, Valladolid, Spain. He took the 'missionary oath' on 16 October 1649 to participate in the English Mission. Sent to Wales in 1654 to minister to covert Catholics, he lived his vocation while constantly on the run for 24 years. He was arrested at Turberville's house at Penlline, Glamorgan, on 20 November 1678, and imprisoned in Cardiff Gaol. There he was joined by the Jesuit, Philip Evans.

Trial

They waited five months before going to trial on May 3, 1679 because the prosecution could not find witnesses to testify that they were indeed priests. Both priests were brought to trial in

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

on Monday, 5 May 1679. Neither was charged with being associated with the plot concocted by Oates. Nonetheless, they were tried for being priests and coming to

England and Wales England and Wales () is one of the Law of the United Kingdom#Legal jurisdictions, three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. Th ...

contrary to the provisions of Jesuits, etc. Act 1584, and were declared guilty of

treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...

for exercising their priesthood.

Executions

The executions took so long to be scheduled that it began to appear that they might not take place. The priests were allowed a good deal of liberty, even to leaving the prison for recreation. The executions took place in Pwllhalog, near

, on 22 July 1679. retrieved from Two plaques mark the site at what is now the junction of Crwys Road and Richmond Road in

Roath Roath () is a district and Community (Wales), community to the north-east of the Cardiff city centre, city centre of Cardiff, capital of Wales. The area is mostly covered by the Plasnewydd electoral ward, and stretches from Adamsdown in the so ...

, Cardiff, still known as "Death Junction". Evans was the first to die. He addressed the gathering in both

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

and English saying, ‘Adieu, Father Lloyd! Though only for a little time, for we shall soon meet again'. Lloyd spoke very briefly. "I never was a good speaker in my life. I shall only say that I die in the true Catholic and apostolic faith, according to these words in the Creed, I believe in the holy Catholic Church; and with those three virtues: faith, hope and charity."

Canonisation and feast day

On 25 October 1970, both John Lloyd and Philip Evans were

canonised 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 sai ...

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...

. Although they died on 22 July, this date is kept by the Catholic Church as the feast day of

Mary Magdalen Mary Magdalene (sometimes called Mary of Magdala, or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine) was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to crucifixion of Jesus, his cr ...

, so their joint

feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context does n ...

was assigned to 23 July. The same date is the assigned day of

Bridget of Sweden Bridget of Sweden, Bridgettines, OSsS ( – 23 July 1374), also known as Birgitta Birgersdotter and Birgitta of Vadstena (), was a Swedish Catholic Mysticism, mystic and the founder of the Bridgettines. Outside Sweden, she was also known as the ...

, who was later designated one of six patron saints of Europe by Pope

John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

. This means that while churches dedicated to John Lloyd or Philip Evans can keep their feast on 23 July, other churches must commemorate Bridget on that date. A voluntary celebration for John Lloyd and Philip Evans may be kept on a nearby date at the discretion of local communities.National Calendar for Wales
Liturgy Office for England and Wales, accessed 31 July 2011 The collective feast day of the

was formerly kept on 25 October. In England they are now celebrated together with

beatified Beatification (from Latin , "blessed" and , "to make") is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their name. ''Beati'' is the ...

martyrs on 4 May.National Calendar for England
Liturgy Office for England and Wales, accessed 31 July 2011 In Wales, 25 October is the feast of the "Six Welsh Martyrs and their companions".

Dedications

St Philip Evans

*St Philip Evans Church,

Llanedeyrn Llanedeyrn () is a former village, now a district and community, in the east of the city of Cardiff, Wales, located around 3.5 miles from the city centre. The parish of Llanedeyrn rests on the banks of the river Rhymney and is visible nesting o ...

, Cardiff (Roman Catholic) *St Philip Evans Catholic Primary School, Llanedyrn, Cardiff *St Philip Evans Church,

Cwmafan Cwmafan (), also known as Cwmavon, is a large village and community in the Afan valley in Wales, lying within Neath Port Talbot County Borough. It had a population of 6,538 in 2011, increasing slightly to 5,615 at the 2011 Census. Cwmafan is k ...

, Neath Port Talbot (Roman Catholic)

St John Lloyd

*St John Lloyd Church,

Rumney, Cardiff Rumney () is a district and Community (Wales), community in the east of the city of Cardiff, Wales. It lies east of the Rhymney River, and was historically part of Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshire. On 1 April 1938 the Cardiff Extension A ...

(Roman Catholic) *

St John Lloyd Catholic Comprehensive School St. John Lloyd Catholic Comprehensive School is located in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is a mixed, community comprehensive school of around 500 pupils, catering for all abilities across an age range of 11 to 16 years. It is dedicated t ...

Llanelli ; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire and the Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is on the estuary of the River Loughor and is the largest town in the Principal areas of Wales, ...

*St John Lloyd R.C. Primary School,

Trowbridge, Cardiff Trowbridge is a district, Community (Wales), community and coterminous electoral ward on the eastern edge of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales. The community and electoral ward includes some or all of the areas of the St Mellons estate and T ...

References

Other sources

*''

Encyclopædia Britannica The is a general knowledge, general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It has been published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. since 1768, although the company has changed ownership seven times. The 2010 version of the 15th edition, ...

'', 15th Edition, 1992. {{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Philip Jesuit saints Canonizations by Pope Paul VI 1679 deaths Forty Martyrs of England and Wales People executed under the Stuarts for treason against England Martyred Roman Catholic priests 17th-century Welsh Roman Catholic priests Executed Welsh people 17th-century Roman Catholic martyrs 17th-century Christian saints Welsh Roman Catholic saints Welsh Roman Catholic martyrs 17th-century Welsh Jesuits Saints duos