Saint John Wall
Saint John Wall (born 1620 AD in Chingle Hall, Lancashire, England; died August 22, 1679 AD in Worcester, England) was an English Franciscan priest who was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Worcester during the Titus Oates Popish Plot hysteria. He had served as an underground priest in Worcestershire for twenty-two years. He is one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales canonized in 1970. His feast day is August 26 (or October 25 with the group).
Stored in Cargo: Saint John Wall
| Saint John Wall | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | August 26; October 25 (with Forty Martyrs) |
| Profession | Franciscan priest; chaplain; underground missioner |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans); Province of the English Franciscans; chaplain at Harvington Hall, Worcestershire; Forty Martyrs of England and Wales |
| Patronage | Worcestershire; Harvington Hall; English Franciscans; priests under persecution; those who serve faithfully in secret; Forty Martyrs of England and Wales |
| Attributes | Franciscan habit; hangman's rope; priest holes (Harvington Hall association); skull relic at Harvington |
| Birthplace | Chingle Hall, Preston, Lancashire, England |
| Death Place | Worcester, Worcestershire, England |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; hanged, drawn, and quartered at Worcester on August 22, 1679, for the crime of being an ordained Catholic priest in England, during the Titus Oates Popish Plot |
| Primary Shrine | St. Francis of Assisi Church, Harvington, Worcestershire — his skull relic; Harvington Hall beside it; together they form the principal pilgrimage site for his veneration in England; the Archdiocese of Birmingham maintains and promotes both |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman Calendar; feast October 25 (with the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales); individual feast August 26 |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar |
Biography
John Wall was born in 1620 at Chingle Hall in Lancashire. He studied at the English College at Douai and was professed as a Franciscan friar, taking the religious name Joachim of Saint Anne. He was ordained a priest and returned to England in 1651.
He served as a clandestine chaplain in Worcestershire for twenty-two years, residing chiefly at Harvington Hall — a recusant manor famous for its hidden priest rooms (priest holes) built by Blessed Nicholas Owen. From there he maintained the Catholic community of the region.
He was arrested in 1678 during the Titus Oates Popish Plot hysteria. He was tried at Worcester purely for the crime of being an ordained Catholic priest. He was convicted and hanged, drawn, and quartered at Red Hill, Worcester, on August 22, 1679.
His skull was preserved as a relic after his execution. It is now enshrined at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Harvington, next to Harvington Hall, which is maintained as a pilgrimage site and museum.
Pope Paul VI canonized him as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales on October 25, 1970.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Chingle Hall, Preston, Lancashire, England
Death location: Worcester, Worcestershire, England
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- St. Francis of Assisi Church, Harvington, Worcestershire — his skull relic; principal shrine.
- Harvington Hall, Worcestershire — recusant manor where he served; major pilgrimage and heritage site.
Feast day
August 26; October 25 (with the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales)
Veneration
Saint John Wall is venerated as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, canonized October 25, 1970. His skull relic is enshrined at Harvington, Worcestershire.
Prayers
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