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Blessed George Gervase | |
|---|---|
 George Gervase in Benedictine habit. In the background depictions of his martyrdom and his burial. | |
| Martyr | |
| Born | c. 1569 – 1571 Bosham,Sussex,England |
| Died | 11 April 1608 (aged 37–39) Tyburn,London,England |
| Beatified | 15 December 1929 byPope Pius XI |
| Feast | 11 April |
George GervaseOSB (1571 – 11 April 1608) was anEnglishCatholic priest of theOrder of St. Benedict who worked as amissionary in England during the period ofrecusancy. He wasmartyred atTyburn.
George Gervase was born inBosham,Sussex. He was left an orphan when he was twelve years of age, and soon after kidnapped bypirates, (probably a lieutenant of Drake, who was then buccaneering on the Spanish Main), and was taken to the West Indies with two of his brothers.[1] He remained in captivity over twelve years. He lost hisCatholic faith during that period; but, when at last he was able to return to England, and found that his eldest brother Henry had become a voluntary exile inFlanders in order to be able to practice his faith, George followed him there, and was soon reconciled with the Catholic Church.
After serving as a soldier in Flanders and with the Spanish army, he entered the English College atDouai in 1595, and was ordained priest in 1603.[2] The following year, he went on the Englishmission, where he worked for over two years. He was arrested in June 1606, and banished with several other clergy.[3]
He then made a pilgrimage toRome, and there endeavoured to enter theSociety of Jesus, but, not being admitted, he returned to Douai, where he was clothed as anovice at theEnglish Benedictine Congregationmonastery of St. Gregory’s (now atDownside Abbey). His brother Henry had obtained for him a comfortable living nearLille, being anxious to preserve him from the persecution then raging in England. But George was determined to labour for the conversion of his native land, and succeeded in returning to England. He was soon arrested and incarcerated. Refusing to take the newoath of allegiance on account of its infringing on spiritual matters where Catholics were concerned, he was tried, convicted of the offense of being a priest, and washanged, drawn, and quartered atTyburn.[3]
He wasbeatified in 1929 byPope Pius XI.[2]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "George Gervase".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
