Martyrs: English, Canonised, Beatified and otherwise important . . . !

I must admit to being a little confused today. (What's new, I hear some say!).

Several mentions have appeared in the blogosphere, on Twitter and in conversations generally, to The Feast of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales.

In July last year four new feast days were approved for the National Calendar in England and Wales.

The saints in question, naturally, all have special significance for England and Wales.

St Gregory the Great (3rd September), St Thomas Becket (29th December), The English Martyrs (4th May) and St Augustine of Canterbury (27th May).

When Saints' feast days are elevated to a National Calendar it means that feast takes precedence over the universal calendar of the Church which is why we are not celebrating the feast of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales today as we used to.

Simple, really. I hope I've got that right. That's how how I understand it to be.

So, what happens to the feast day of the 40 martyrs canonised by Pope Paul VI in 1973? I hear you say.

They haven't been forgotten. We now celebrate their feast with the 85 beatified Martyrs of the Reformation and other later martyrs. This includes such well-known saints as St Margaret Clitherow and St Cuthbert Mayne, on the feast of the English Martyrs on 4th May.

I knew I'd have an opportunity to post some of the photos I took last week at St Osmund's in Salisbury. They have a marvellous collection of stained glass windows portraying the English Martyrs. I hope you enjoy them. (As usual, 'double-click' on the photos to see a larger version)

I took several more photos and may upload a short slide show later if I have time.