Blessed Edouard Powell
Blessed Edward Powell (born c. 1478 AD in Wales; died July 30, 1540 AD in London, England) was a Welsh Catholic priest, theologian, and Doctor of Divinity who was executed at Smithfield, London, for refusing to acknowledge Henry VIII as the Supreme Head of the Church of England. A learned defender of Catherine of Aragon in the royal divorce proceedings and of the authority of the papacy, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London from 1534 and was hanged, drawn, and quartered on July 30, 1540, alongside Blessed Richard Fetherston and Blessed Thomas Abel. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886. His feast day is July 30.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Edouard Powell
| Blessed Edouard Powell | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | July 30 |
| Profession | Catholic priest; Doctor of Divinity (Oxford); theologian; defender of Catherine of Aragon and papal authority; Welsh Catholic clergyman of the Tudor period |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; English recusant tradition; Welsh Catholic tradition; Tudor-era Catholic scholars; 54 Martyrs of Leo XIII (1886) |
| Patronage | Wales; Oxford; English Catholic scholars; those who defend the authority of the papacy; those imprisoned for their faith; Catherine of Aragon devotion |
| Attributes | Doctor's hood and gown; rope (martyrdom); papal tiara (defense of the papacy); Tower of London; July 30 feast |
| Birthplace | Wales |
| Death Place | Smithfield, London, England |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; hanged, drawn, and quartered at Smithfield, London, on July 30, 1540, for refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy acknowledging Henry VIII as the Supreme Head of the Church of England; he had been imprisoned in the Tower of London from 1534; he was a Doctor of Divinity and had been a prominent defender of Catherine of Aragon and of the authority of the papacy in the royal divorce proceedings; he was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 |
| Primary Shrine | Smithfield, London; July 30 feast; Leo XIII beatification 1886 |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; July 30 feast in England and Wales (with Blessed Richard Fetherston and Blessed Thomas Abel) |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Edward Powell was born around 1478 in Wales. He was educated at Oxford and became a Doctor of Divinity, renowned for his theological learning and his defense of Catherine of Aragon's marriage to Henry VIII and of the authority of the papacy.
When Henry VIII required the Oath of Supremacy in 1534, Powell refused. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London for six years. On July 30, 1540, he was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Smithfield alongside Blessed Richard Fetherston and Blessed Thomas Abel — all three dying for the same cause.
He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886. His feast day is July 30.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Wales
Death location: Smithfield, London, England
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Feast day
July 30
Veneration
Blessed Edward Powell (c. 1478–1540) was a Welsh Catholic Doctor of Divinity who defended Catherine of Aragon and the papacy, refused the Oath of Supremacy, was imprisoned six years in the Tower of London, and was martyred at Smithfield on July 30, 1540; beatified Leo XIII, 1886. Feast July 30.
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