On November 8, 1610, a British cleric\u00a0by the name of George Napier was executed in Oxford, England, for the crime of being a priest.<\/p>\n
George Napier [alternate spelling: George Napper] was born at Holywell Manor in Oxford and studied at Corpus Christi College; but he was expelled from the school in 1568 as a \u201crecusant\u201d\u2013someone who refused to attend Anglican services. \u00a0In 1580 he was imprisoned in the Wood Street Counter, a small prison in London, but was freed in 1589 when he acknowledged the royal supremacy of the King.<\/p>\n
Napier later traveled to Douai, in northern France, where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1596.<\/p>\n
Although\u00a0Catholicism was outlawed in England in the post-Reformation years and Catholic priests were subject to imprisonment and death, Napier returned to England in 1603. \u00a0Once back on British soil, he lived with his brother William in Holywell. \u00a0There he lived quietly, escaping notice for several years; but on July 19, 1610, he was arrested after he had brought the sacraments to a sick Catholic woman. \u00a0A search revealed that he had in his possession consecrated oils and a pyx with two consecrated hosts, as well as a breviary. \u00a0These possessions were considered sufficient evidence of priesthood, and he was condemned to death.<\/p>\n
While imprisoned in Oxford Castle awaiting execution, Father Napier reconciled a condemned prisoner named Falkner and prepared him for a Christian death. \u00a0When the court learned of this continued exercise of his priestly office, the judges were angered and moved up the date of his execution to prevent him from influencing other prisoners in the same way. \u00a0When Father Napier was informed of this, he said that he would be glad to do the same for the judges if they ever required it \u201cfor he came into the country to execute his functions and to save men\u2019s souls.\u201d<\/p>\n
Father George Napier was hanged, drawn and quartered at Oxford on November 8, 1610. \u00a0His head was mounted, according to one report, atop the steeple of Christ Church. \u00a0The rest of his body was quartered, and his remains were hung at each of the four gates to the city.<\/p>\n
He was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1929.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the school named for Napier in England, students are celebrating BGNDay and working to raise\u00a0awareness of the persecution of modern day Christians worldwide. \u00a0They are\u00a0live tweeting the event at their twitter page @BlessedGeorge5 and on snapchat with \u2018blessedgeorge48\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On November 8, 1610, a British cleric\u00a0by the name of George Napier was executed in Oxford, England, for the crime of being a priest. George Napier [alternate spelling: George Napper] was born at Holywell Manor in Oxford and studied at Corpus Christi College; but he was expelled from the school in 1568 as a \u201crecusant\u201d\u2013someone […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":556,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,49,154,1274],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-beatification","category-catholic","category-martyrs","category-persecution"],"yoast_head":"\n