Saints

Martyr. Margaret Clitherow was born in 1555, in Middleton, Yorkshire, into a Protestant family. Her father, Thomas Middleton, was Sheriff of York from 1564 to 1565. Margaret was married at the age of 15 to John Clitherow who had a thriving butchery trade. The couple had three children and lived in The Shambles. Although her husband remained a Protestant, Margaret converted to Roman Catholicism t... Read More

Most information about John the Baptist comes from the Gospels. The Roman historian Josephus also mentions him. He was the son of Zachariah a Temple priest and Elizabeth, a quite old cousin of the Virgin Mary. An angel foretold his birth, adding that he would prepare people for the Lord. Scriptures tell us that when Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus, came to visit Elizabeth, the infant John leapt ... Read More

Monk of Iona, first bishop and abbot of Lindisfarne. Born in Ireland, Aidan came to England in the 7th century when King Oswald was living in exile with the monks at Iona, during the Mercian invasion. The King became Christian and when he regained his throne he gave Aidan the island of Lindisfarne, close to the royal palace of Bamburgh. Aidan converted many people. He founded churches and monaste... Read More