Martyrs of Gorkum
Encyclopedia
The Martyrs of Gorkum were a group of 19 Dutch
Catholic clergy
and friar
s who suffered martyr
dom in the sixteenth century for their faith in the town of Gorinchem
(or Gorkum).
and John Calvin
had already wrested from the Catholic Church a great part of Europe. A storm of iconoclasm
had swept through the Seventeen Provinces
of the Low Countries
, and was followed by a struggle between Lutheranism
and Calvinism
in which the latter was victorious. In 1571, the Calvinists held their first synod, at Emden
. Because of the anti-Protestant edicts and persecution by the Spanish government, on 1 April of the next year the Watergeuzen or Gueux de mer (water-/sea-beggars, i.e., rebels), rebelled against the Spanish
Habsburg
crown which ruled the Low Countries, conquered Brielle
and later Vlissingen and other places.
In June, Dordrecht
and Gorkum fell into their hands and at Gorkum they captured nine Franciscan
s: Nicholas Pieck
, guardian of Gorkum; Hieronymns of Weert, vicar; Theodorus van der Eem of Amersfoort; Nicasius Janssen of Heeze; Willehad of Denmark; Godefried of Mervel; Antonius of Weert; Antonius of Hoornaer and Franciseus de Roye of Brussels. To these were added two lay brothers from the same monastery, Petrus of Assche and Cornelius of Wijk bij Duurstede
. At almost the same time the Calvinists arrested the learned parish priest of Gorkum, Leonardus Vechel of 's-Hertogenbosch, who had made distinguished studies in Louvain
, and also his assistant Nicolaas Janssen, surnamed Poppel, of Welde in Belgium. With the above were also imprisoned Godefried van Duynsen of Gorkum, who was active as a priest in his native city, and Joannes Lenartz of Oisterwijk, an Augustinian and director of the convent of Augustinian nuns in Gorkum. From the very beginning these men suffered considerable torment in the prison.
To these fifteen were later added four more companions: Joannes van Hoornaer (alias known as John of Cologne), a Dominican
of the Cologne province and parish priest not far from Gorkum, who when apprised of the incarceration of the clergy of Gorkum hastened to the city in order to administer the sacraments to them and was seized and imprisoned with the rest; Jacobus Lacops of Oudenaar, a Norbertine, who after leading a frivolous life, being disobedient to his order, and neglectful of his religious duties, reformed, became a curate in Monster
, Holland, and was imprisoned in 1572; Adrianus Janssen of Hilvarenbeek
, at one time a Premonstratensian
and parish priest in Monster, who was sent to Brielle with Jacobus Lacops; and lastly Andreas Wouters of Heynoord, whose conduct was hesitant up to the time of his arrest, but also ended in martyrdom.
After enduring much abuse and suffering in the prison at Gorkum (26 June-6 July) the first fifteen prisoners were transferred to Brielle, arriving there on 13 July. On their way to Dordrecht they were exhibited for money to the curious. The following day, William de la Marck, Lord of Lumey
, commander of the Gueux de mer, had them interrogated and ordered a disputation. In the meantime, the four others also arrived. It was demanded of each that he abandon his belief in the Blessed Sacrament and in papal supremacy. All remained firm in their faith. Meanwhile there came a letter from the prince of Orange, William the Silent
, which enjoined all those in authority to leave priests and religious unmolested. Nevertheless during the night of 9 July Lumey had them hanged in a turfshed and is alleged to have mutilated the bodies.
took place on 14 November 1675, and their canonization
on 29 June 1865.
For many years the place of their martyrdom in Brielle has been the scene of numerous pilgrimage
s and processions.
The reliquary of their remains is now enshrined in the Church of Saint Nicholas, Brussels, Belgium.
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
Catholic clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
and friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
s who suffered martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
dom in the sixteenth century for their faith in the town of Gorinchem
Gorinchem
Gorinchem , also called Gorkum , is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 21.99 km² of which 3.03 km² is water...
(or Gorkum).
Events
By 1572, Martin LutherMartin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
and John Calvin
John Calvin
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530...
had already wrested from the Catholic Church a great part of Europe. A storm of iconoclasm
Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm is the deliberate destruction of religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives. It is a frequent component of major political or religious changes...
had swept through the Seventeen Provinces
Seventeen Provinces
The Seventeen Provinces were a personal union of states in the Low Countries in the 15th century and 16th century, roughly covering the current Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, a good part of the North of France , and a small part of Western Germany.The Seventeen Provinces were originally held by...
of the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
, and was followed by a struggle between Lutheranism
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
and Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
in which the latter was victorious. In 1571, the Calvinists held their first synod, at Emden
Emden
Emden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia; in 2006, the city had a total population of 51,692.-History:...
. Because of the anti-Protestant edicts and persecution by the Spanish government, on 1 April of the next year the Watergeuzen or Gueux de mer (water-/sea-beggars, i.e., rebels), rebelled against the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
crown which ruled the Low Countries, conquered Brielle
Capture of Brielle
The Capture of Brielle by the Sea Beggars, or Watergeuzen, on 1 April 1572 marked a turning point in the uprising of the Low Countries against Spain in the Eighty Years' War. Militarily the success was minor, as Brielle was not being defended at the time...
and later Vlissingen and other places.
In June, Dordrecht
Dordrecht
Dordrecht , colloquially Dordt, historically in English named Dort, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the fourth largest city of the province, having a population of 118,601 in 2009...
and Gorkum fell into their hands and at Gorkum they captured nine Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
s: Nicholas Pieck
Nicholas Pieck
Nicholas Pieck was the son of John Pieck and Henriea Clavia, devout Catholics. He was sent to college at 's-Hertogenbosch, and as soon as he had completed his classical studies he received the habit of the Friars Minor at the convent in that town. Nicholas was ordained a priest in 1558, devoting...
, guardian of Gorkum; Hieronymns of Weert, vicar; Theodorus van der Eem of Amersfoort; Nicasius Janssen of Heeze; Willehad of Denmark; Godefried of Mervel; Antonius of Weert; Antonius of Hoornaer and Franciseus de Roye of Brussels. To these were added two lay brothers from the same monastery, Petrus of Assche and Cornelius of Wijk bij Duurstede
Wijk bij Duurstede
- The city of Wijk bij Duurstede :The city is located on the Rhine. At Wijk bij Duurstede, the Kromme Rijn branches off, and the main branch is called Lek River downstream from Wijk bij Duurstede....
. At almost the same time the Calvinists arrested the learned parish priest of Gorkum, Leonardus Vechel of 's-Hertogenbosch, who had made distinguished studies in Louvain
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, and also his assistant Nicolaas Janssen, surnamed Poppel, of Welde in Belgium. With the above were also imprisoned Godefried van Duynsen of Gorkum, who was active as a priest in his native city, and Joannes Lenartz of Oisterwijk, an Augustinian and director of the convent of Augustinian nuns in Gorkum. From the very beginning these men suffered considerable torment in the prison.
To these fifteen were later added four more companions: Joannes van Hoornaer (alias known as John of Cologne), a Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
of the Cologne province and parish priest not far from Gorkum, who when apprised of the incarceration of the clergy of Gorkum hastened to the city in order to administer the sacraments to them and was seized and imprisoned with the rest; Jacobus Lacops of Oudenaar, a Norbertine, who after leading a frivolous life, being disobedient to his order, and neglectful of his religious duties, reformed, became a curate in Monster
Monster, Netherlands
Monster is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Westland, and lies about 10 km south-west of The Hague.The village of "Monster" has a population of around 11,580....
, Holland, and was imprisoned in 1572; Adrianus Janssen of Hilvarenbeek
Hilvarenbeek
Hilvarenbeek is a municipality and a town in the south of the Netherlands, along the border with Belgium.- Population centres :The municipality of Hilvarenbeek also includes the following villages with their own churches: Baarschot, Biest-Houtakker, Diessen, Esbeek and Haghorst.In addition, the...
, at one time a Premonstratensian
Premonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
and parish priest in Monster, who was sent to Brielle with Jacobus Lacops; and lastly Andreas Wouters of Heynoord, whose conduct was hesitant up to the time of his arrest, but also ended in martyrdom.
After enduring much abuse and suffering in the prison at Gorkum (26 June-6 July) the first fifteen prisoners were transferred to Brielle, arriving there on 13 July. On their way to Dordrecht they were exhibited for money to the curious. The following day, William de la Marck, Lord of Lumey
William II de la Marck
William II de la Marck was Lord of Lumey and initially admiral of the Watergeuzen, the so-called 'sea beggars' who fought in the Eighty Years' War , together with among others William the Silent, Prince of Orange-Nassau...
, commander of the Gueux de mer, had them interrogated and ordered a disputation. In the meantime, the four others also arrived. It was demanded of each that he abandon his belief in the Blessed Sacrament and in papal supremacy. All remained firm in their faith. Meanwhile there came a letter from the prince of Orange, William the Silent
William the Silent
William I, Prince of Orange , also widely known as William the Silent , or simply William of Orange , was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. He was born in the House of...
, which enjoined all those in authority to leave priests and religious unmolested. Nevertheless during the night of 9 July Lumey had them hanged in a turfshed and is alleged to have mutilated the bodies.
Veneration
Their beatificationBeatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
took place on 14 November 1675, and their canonization
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
on 29 June 1865.
For many years the place of their martyrdom in Brielle has been the scene of numerous pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
s and processions.
The reliquary of their remains is now enshrined in the Church of Saint Nicholas, Brussels, Belgium.
External links
- "SS. Martyrs of Gorcum", Butler's Lives of the Saints