John Stone (martyr)

St John Stone was an English Reformation Augustinian friar, and Doctor of Sacred Theology, living in the Augustinian friary at Canterbury. The place where the Augustinian Friary once stood on St George's Street is still called Whitefriars. Riceman's and Marks & Spencer's now stand where the friary once stood [update needed, as the town centre development has been completed and Riceman's demolished] .

During the time of the Reformation Parliament, friar Stone publicly denounced the behaviour of King Henry VIII from the pulpit of the Austin Friars and publicly stated his approval of the status of monarch's first marriage - clearly opposing the monarch's wish to gain a divorce.

On December 13, 1538, the civil powers of the British realm turn its attention to the outspoken friar. As a consequence of the Act of Supremacy, Bishop Richard Ingworth (a former Dominican, and by then Bishop of Dover) made a visitation to the Austin friary Canterbury as part of the process of the dissolution of monasteries in England. Ingworth commanded all of the Austin friars to sign deed of surrender by which the King should gain possession of the friary and its surrounding property. They nearly all did, but John Stone refused to surrender church property to the civil state, and even further, he denounced bishop Ingworth for his compliance with the King's desires. John Stone was, in the end, executed at the [http://www.hillside.co.uk/tour/e121.html Dane John] (Dungeon Hill), Canterbury, for his opposition to the King's wishes.

"Behold I close my apostolate in my blood, In my death I shall find life, for die for a holy cause, the defense of the Church of God, infallible and immaculate" he said as the executioners prepared to do their work. Stone was hanged, drawn and quartered; his head and body placed on display to dishonour his corpse since he was considered a traitor for defying the king.

Subsequently, his name was placed at the top of the list of martyrs of the English Reformation which was presented to Rome for the process of beatification. St. John Stone was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886, and canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 25, 1970.

External links

* [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=38222 The Austin friars at Canterbury, British History online]
* [http://www.rc.net/southwark/canterbury/stone.htm St John Stone on the Southwark diocesan website]
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08485a.htm St John Stone in the Catholic Encyclopaedia]
* [http://www.midwestaugustinians.org/saints/s_johnstone.html St John Stone on an Augustinian website]