London, Oratorians' Church, Side Chapel, Altar of St.
Thomas More, St. John Fisher and the Martyrs of Tyburn Tree. By Rex Whistler
(1938). Photographie : Rabanus Flavus
Bienheureux Marc Barkworth
Martyr en Angleterre (✝ 1601)
Marc Barkworth, bénédictin, avec le père Roger Filcock, jésuite, il fut traîné dans les rues de Tyburn. Les deux prêtres s'encouragèrent en priant ensemble. Ils arrivèrent juste après l'éxécution d'Anne Line qui avait été la pénitente du père Filcock.
Voir aussi:
- Biographies des six saints et des seize bienheureux du collège de saint Alban, le séminaire anglais de Valladolid. (en anglais)
À Londres, en 1061, sainte Anne Line, veuve et martyre. Née de parents calvinistes, qui la déshéritèrent et la chassèrent de chez eux quand elle devint catholique, elle épousa Roger Line, qui mourut en exil à cause de la foi catholique. Après sa mort, elle fournit un hébergement à des prêtres à Londres, et pour cela, fut pendue à Tyburn, sous la reine Élisabeth Ière. Avec elle subirent le même supplice les bienheureux prêtres et martryrs Marc Barkworth, bénédictin, et Roger Felcock, de la Compagnie de Jésus, qui furent mis en pièces alors qu’ils respiraient encore.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/705/Bienheureux-Marc-Barkworth.html
Bienheureux Mark Barkworth
Bénédictin Anglais Martyr
Fête le 27 février
dans le Lincolnshire – † Tyburn 1601
Autres graphies : Mark (Marc) ou Lambert Barkworth
Mark ou Lambert Barkworth naquit dans le Lincolnshire et fut élevé à
Oxford. Après sa conversion, il fit ses études sacerdotales à Rome et à
Valladolid. Il fut reçu dans l’ordre bénédictin à l’abbaye Notre-Dame
d’Hirache, près d’Estelle, en Navarre espagnole. Il fut le premier bénédictin
qui, après la suppression des monastères anglais, mourut à Tyburn.
Ven. Mark Barkworth
(Alias LAMBERT.)
Priest and martyr, born about 1572 in Lincolnshire; executed
at Tyburn 27 February, 1601. He was educated at Oxford, and converted
to the Faith at Douai in 1594, by Father George,
a Flemish Jesuit. In 1596 Barkworth went to Rome and thence to Valladolid.
On his way to Spain he is said to have had a vision
of St. Benedict, who told him he
would die a martyr, in the Benedictine habit.
Admitted to the English College,
16 December, 1596, he was ordained priest in 1599, and set out for the English
Mission together with Ven. Thomas Garnet. On his way he stayed at the Benedictine Abbey
of Hyrache in Navarre, where his ardent wish to join the
order was granted by his being made an Oblate
with the privilege of making
profession at the hour of death. After having escaped great peril at the hands
of the heretics of La Rochelle, he was arrested on reaching England and thrown into Newgate, where he lay
six months, and was then transferred to Bridewell. Here he wrote an appeal
to Cecil, signed "George Barkworth". At his examinations
he behaved with extraordinary fearlessness and frank gaiety.
Having been condemned he was thrown into "Limbo", the horrible
underground dungeon at Newgate, where he remained "very cheerful"
till his death.
Barkworth suffered
at Tyburn with Ven. Roger Filcock,
S.J., and Ven. Anne Lyne. It was the first Tuesday in Lent, a bitterly cold day. He sang, on the way to
Tyburn, the Paschal Anthem:
"Hæc dies quam, fecit Dominus
exultemus et lætemur in ea". On his arrival he kissed the robe of Mrs. Lyne,
who was already dead, saying: "Ah, sister, thou hast got the start of us,
but we will follow thee as
quickly as we may"; and told the people: "I am come here to die,
being a Catholic, a priest, and a religious
man, belonging to the Order
of St. Benedict; it was by this
same order that England was converted".
He was tall and burly of figure, gay and cheerful in disposition. He suffered
in the Benedictine habit,
under which he wore a hair-shirt.
It was noticed that his knees
were, like St. James', hardened
by constant kneeling, and an
apprentice in the crowd picking up his legs, after the quartering, called out
to them: "Which of you Gospellers can show such a knee?"
Barkworth's devotion to the Benedictine Order led to his suffering much
from the hands of the superiors of the Vallalodid College. These sufferings are
probably much exaggerated, however, by the anti-Jesuit
writers Watson, Barneby, and
Bell.
Sources
CAMM, A Benedictine Martyr in England (London, 1897); CHALLONER, Memoirs
(1750); W.C., A Reply to Father Persons' Libel (1603); WATSON, Decacordon of
ten Quodlibet Questions (1602); KNOX, Douay Diaries (London, 1878).
Camm, Bede. "Ven. Mark Barkworth." The Catholic Encyclopedia.
Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 27 Feb. 2017
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02296c.htm>.
Transcription. This
article was transcribed for New Advent by Bob Mathewson.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur.
+John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Blessed Mark Barkworth
Copyright © 2020
by Kevin Knight. Dedicated to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Blessed Mark Barkworth
Also known as
- George Barkworth
- Mark Lambert
- 27 February
- 29 October as one of the Martyrs of Douai
- 1 December as one of the Martyrs of Oxford University
Profile
Described as a tall,
burly man, always cheerful, even in the sufferings of his later life. Studied at Oxford University. Convert to Catholicism, joining the Church at Douai, France in 1594.
Studied at English College, Rome, Italy starting on 16
December 1596,
and then at the Royal College of Saint Alban in Valladolid, Spain. While on the road to Spain he had a vision; Saint
Benedict of Nursia appeared to him and told he would die a Benedictine
and a martyr. Ordained in 1599.
Benedictine Oblate. He returned to England with Saint
Thomas Garnet to minister to covert Catholics. He was arrested, spent several months in prison, and was finally condemned for the crime of being a priest. Martyred with Blessed
Roger Filcock and Saint
Anne Line, the first Benedictine
to die after the suppression of their monasteries.
Born
- hanged, drawn, and quartered on 27 February 1601 at Tyburn, London, England
- 8 December 1929 by Pope Pius XI (decree of martyrdom)
Readings
I am come here to die,
being a Catholic, a priest, and a religious man, belonging to the Order of
Saint Benedict; it was by this same order that England was converted. – Blessed Mark, to the crowd gathered
to watch his execution
Ah, sister, thou hast
got the start of us, but we will follow thee as quickly as we may. – Blessed Mark, speaking at his
execution to Saint Anne Line who had just died
Blessed Mark Barkworth
OSB was
born about 1572 at Searby in Lincolnshire. He studied for a time at Oxford,
though no record remains of his stay there. He was received into the Catholic
Church at Douai in 1593, by Father George, a Flemish Jesuit and entered the
College there with a view to the priesthood. He matriculated at Douai
University on 5 October 1594.
On account of an outbreak of the plague, in 1596 Barkworth was sent to Rome and thence to Valladolid in Spain, where he entered the English College on 28 December 1596. On his way to Spain he is said to have had a vision of St Benedict, who told him he would die a martyr, in the Benedictine habit. While at Valladolid he make firmer contact with to the Benedictine Order. The "Catholic Encyclopedia" notes that there are accounts that his interest in the Benedictines resulted in suffering at the hands of the College superiors, but the Encyclopedia expresses skepticism, suggesting anti-Jesuit bias.
Barkworth was ordained priest at the English College some time before July 1599, when he set out for the English Mission together with Father Thomas Garnet. On his way he stayed at the Benedictine Monastery of Hyrache in Navarre, where his wish to join the order was granted by his being made an Oblate with the privilege of making profession at the hour of death.
After having escaped from the hands of the Huguenots of La Rochelle, he was arrested on reaching England and thrown into Newgate, where he was imprisoned for six months, and was then transferred to Bridewell. There he wrote an appeal to Robert Cecil, signed "George Barkworth". At his examinations he was reported to behave with fearlessness and frank gaiety. Having been condemned with a formal jury verdict, he was thrown into "Limbo", the horrible underground dungeon at Newgate, where he is said to have remained "very cheerful" till his death.
Father Barkworth sang, on the way to Tyburn, the Paschal Anthem: "Hæc dies quam, fecit Dominus exultemus et lætemur in ea", and Father Filcock joined him in the chant:
Hæc dies quam fecit Dominus; [This is the day which the Lord has made:]
exsultemus, et lætemur in ea. [let us be glad and rejoice in it.]
At Tyburn he told the people: "I am come here to die, being a Catholic, a priest, and a religious man, belonging to the Order of St Benedict; it was by this same order that England was converted."
He was said to be "a man of stature tall and well proportioned showing strength, the hair of his head brown, his beard yellow, somewhat heavy eyed". He was of a cheerful disposition. He suffered in the Benedictine habit, under which he wore a hair-shirt. It was noticed that his knees were, like St. James', hardened by constant kneeling, and an apprentice in the crowd picking up his legs, after the quartering, called out: "Which of you Gospellers can show such a knee?" Contrary to usual practice, the quarters of the priests were not exposed but buried near the scaffold. They were later retrieved by Catholics.
On account of an outbreak of the plague, in 1596 Barkworth was sent to Rome and thence to Valladolid in Spain, where he entered the English College on 28 December 1596. On his way to Spain he is said to have had a vision of St Benedict, who told him he would die a martyr, in the Benedictine habit. While at Valladolid he make firmer contact with to the Benedictine Order. The "Catholic Encyclopedia" notes that there are accounts that his interest in the Benedictines resulted in suffering at the hands of the College superiors, but the Encyclopedia expresses skepticism, suggesting anti-Jesuit bias.
Barkworth was ordained priest at the English College some time before July 1599, when he set out for the English Mission together with Father Thomas Garnet. On his way he stayed at the Benedictine Monastery of Hyrache in Navarre, where his wish to join the order was granted by his being made an Oblate with the privilege of making profession at the hour of death.
After having escaped from the hands of the Huguenots of La Rochelle, he was arrested on reaching England and thrown into Newgate, where he was imprisoned for six months, and was then transferred to Bridewell. There he wrote an appeal to Robert Cecil, signed "George Barkworth". At his examinations he was reported to behave with fearlessness and frank gaiety. Having been condemned with a formal jury verdict, he was thrown into "Limbo", the horrible underground dungeon at Newgate, where he is said to have remained "very cheerful" till his death.
Father Barkworth sang, on the way to Tyburn, the Paschal Anthem: "Hæc dies quam, fecit Dominus exultemus et lætemur in ea", and Father Filcock joined him in the chant:
Hæc dies quam fecit Dominus; [This is the day which the Lord has made:]
exsultemus, et lætemur in ea. [let us be glad and rejoice in it.]
At Tyburn he told the people: "I am come here to die, being a Catholic, a priest, and a religious man, belonging to the Order of St Benedict; it was by this same order that England was converted."
He was said to be "a man of stature tall and well proportioned showing strength, the hair of his head brown, his beard yellow, somewhat heavy eyed". He was of a cheerful disposition. He suffered in the Benedictine habit, under which he wore a hair-shirt. It was noticed that his knees were, like St. James', hardened by constant kneeling, and an apprentice in the crowd picking up his legs, after the quartering, called out: "Which of you Gospellers can show such a knee?" Contrary to usual practice, the quarters of the priests were not exposed but buried near the scaffold. They were later retrieved by Catholics.
Beato Marco Barkworth Sacerdote benedettino, martire
Searby, Regno Unito, circa 1572 – Tyburn,
Londra, 27 febbraio 1601
Mark Barkworth
nacque nel Lincolnshire, all’epoca della regina Elisabetta I, e frequentò
l’università di Oxford. Dopo essersi convertito al cattolicesimo, studiò a Roma
e al Real Collegio di Sant’Albano a Valladolid ed entrò nell’Ordine di San
Benedetto come Oblato. Condannato a morte, venne impiccato e squartato a Londra
il 27 febbraio 1601, prima del suo compagno di prigionia, il gesuita padre
Roger Filcock. È stato beatificato da papa Pio IX il 15 dicembre 1929.
Martirologio
Romano: A Londra in Inghilterra, sant’Anna Line, vedova e martire, che, morto
il marito in esilio per la fede cattolica, procurò in questa città una casa ai
sacerdoti e per questo, sotto la regina Elisabetta I, a Tyburn fu impiccata.
Insieme a lei patirono anche i beati sacerdoti e martiri Marco Barkworth,
dell’Ordine di San Benedetto, e Ruggero Filcock, della Compagnia di Gesù,
dilaniati con la spada mentre erano ancora vivi.
Mark Barkworth nacque nel 1572 circa a Searby, nel Lincolnshire. Studiò per un periodo a Oxford,
anche se non rimangono notizie della sua permanenza lì. Venne accolto nella
Chiesa cattolica a Douai nel 1593 da parte di un gesuita fiammingo, padre
George, ed entrò nel Collegio locale, dove i candidati al sacerdozio inglesi
studiavano per tornare come missionari in patria.
A causa di un’epidemia di peste, venne inviato a Roma nel 1596 e da lì al Real
Collegio di Sant’Albano a Valladolid, in Spagna, dove entrò il 28 dicembre
1596. Si racconta che, mentre era in viaggio, ebbe una visione di san Benedetto
da Norcia, che gli profetizzò che sarebbe morto martire con l’abito
benedettino.
Ordinato sacerdote nel Collegio prima del luglio 1599, tornò come
missionario in Inghilterra, insieme a padre Thomas Garnet. Lungo il cammino
soggiornò presso il monastero benedettino di Hyrache in Navarra, dove il suo
desiderio di aggregarsi all’Ordine venne realizzato: divenne un Oblato
benedettino, ottenendo il privilegio di emettere la propria professione al
momento della morte.
Sfuggito agli Ugonotti, venne arrestato mentre raggiungeva il suo paese natale
e gettato nel carcere di Newgate, dove rimase per sei mesi; di lì venne
trasferito alla prigione di Bridewell. In quel luogo, scrisse un appello a Robert Cecil,
firmandosi «George Barkworth».
Durante gli interrogatori, si comportò in maniera coraggiosa e lieta.
Condannato con un verdetto formale, venne imprigionato nel cosiddetto “Limbo”
di Newgate, ossia la prigione sotterranea. Anche lì rimase allegro, fino al
momento dell’esecuzione. In prigione incontrò il gesuita Roger Filcock, che era
stato suo compagno di studi a Valladolid.
La loro esecuzione fu fissata per il 27 febbraio 1601 a Londra, nel famigerato
Tyburn. Lungo la strada, Barkworth intonò in latino il Salmo del giorno di
Pasqua: «Questo è il giorno che ha fatto il Signore: rallegriamoci in esso ed
esultiamo»; padre Filcock lo seguì nel canto.
Quando arrivò al patibolo, omaggiò insieme al gesuita il coraggio di Anne Line,
un tempo sua penitente, martirizzata perché aveva accolto numerosi sacerdoti in
appositi rifugi. Poi, rivolgendosi alla folla, disse: «Sono venuto qui per
morire da cattolico, sacerdote e religioso, appartenente all’Ordine di San
Benedetto; fu per mezzo di questo stesso ordine che l’Inghilterra venne
convertita». Addosso portava l’abito benedettino, sotto il quale aveva un
cilicio in forma di camicia di pelo.
Quando il suo corpo venne preso e squartato, si notò che le sue ginocchia, al
pari di quelle di san Giacomo il Minore, erano incallite per l’assidua
preghiera. Un apprendista presente tra la folla, nel prendere in mano le gambe
dopo lo squartamento, gridò: «Chi di voi predicatori può mostrare un ginocchio
simile?». Contrariamente all’uso consueto, i resti dei sacerdoti non vennero
esposti, bensì seppelliti presso il patibolo; più tardi, alcuni cattolici li
prelevarono.
L’8 dicembre 1929 venne promulgato il decreto sul martirio di padre Mark
Barkworth e di altri centocinque martiri inglesi, seguito dalla beatificazione
una settimana dopo, ad opera di papa Pio XI, il 15 dicembre.
Autore: Emilia
Flocchini
