Archbishop Nichols Prays with [Anglican] Bishop of London in [St. Thomas] More’s Cell

The Catholic Herald (UK) ^ | 10/24/13

[marshmallow]

The archbishop of Westminster and Bishop of London joined together this week to launch a society promoting a greater understanding of British Christian martyrs, including St Thomas More.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols joined the Rt Rev Richard Chartres and General Lord Dannatt on Tuesday for the launch of the 1535 Society at the Tower of London. The 1535 Society aims to promote an understanding of the role within British history of More and the other Christian martyrs who lost their lives for their faith.

Its members will also together contribute to the restoration of the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London, where More’s headless body now lies, and its Crypt of St Thomas More. The bishop and the archbishop, together with the Chaplain of the Chapel Royal HM Tower of London, the Rev Canon Roger Hall, said prayers both written by and for St Thomas More as part of proceedings.

The Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula is the parish church to the Tower of London and is a chapel royal, directly under the jurisdiction of the Queen. It is the final resting place of three queens of England as well as St Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher.

The society is named in honour of St Thomas More, who was Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII and was imprisoned in the Tower of London between 1534 and 1535. He was held in the Bell Tower, where some of today’s proceedings were conducted, and his opposition to the Reformation led to his execution on Tower Hill on July 6.