Feast Day: June 22
Patron of: Lawyers, statesmen, politicians, large families
Titles: Martyr, Confessor of the Faith
Early Life and Formation
Saint Thomas More was born on February 7, 1478, in London, England, to Sir John More, a respected judge. Raised in a devout Catholic household, Thomas received an exceptional education, first at St. Anthony’s School and later at Oxford, where he studied Latin and Greek and read extensively in classical philosophy. He briefly considered a monastic vocation, spending time living near the Carthusian monks at London Charterhouse. Though he ultimately discerned a lay vocation, the spiritual discipline of those early years deeply shaped his interior life.
Career and Public Life
More became a barrister and quickly rose in esteem for his keen intellect, rhetorical skill, and incorruptible moral character. He married Jane Colt in 1505 and had four children with her before she died in 1511. Shortly after, he married Alice Middleton, a widow, blending his family with hers. His household was a center of Catholic piety and humanist learning.
He entered royal service under King Henry VIII and was eventually appointed Lord Chancellor in 1529—the first layman to hold that post. During this time, More remained a devoted servant of the king but never compromised his fidelity to the Church. His famous literary work, Utopia (1516), showcased his intellectual brilliance and humanist values, though he always placed divine truth above worldly idealism.
Martyrdom and Witness
More’s downfall came when King Henry VIII, having failed to receive an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, broke from the Roman Catholic Church and declared himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England. More refused to swear the Oath of Supremacy, which would have required him to accept the king’s claim over the Church.
He resigned his position as Chancellor in 1532, and in 1534, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London for his refusal to affirm the king’s supremacy. During his imprisonment, More wrote deeply spiritual letters and meditations, including his famed Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation, which reveals his profound trust in Divine Providence.
On July 6, 1535, after a sham trial and being convicted of treason, Thomas More was beheaded on Tower Hill. He spoke with serenity and courage, famously declaring:
“I die the King’s good servant, but God’s first.”
Canonization and Legacy
Pope Pius XI canonized Thomas More in 1935, alongside Bishop John Fisher, marking the 400th anniversary of their martyrdom. Pope Saint John Paul II later named him heavenly patron of statesmen and politicians in 2000, lauding him as a witness to the primacy of truth over power.
Saint Thomas More stands as a model of Christian conscience, integrity, and fortitude in the face of political pressure. His life is a profound example of lay sanctity, reminding all the faithful—especially those in public life—of the call to be faithful to God above all.
Devotional Reflection
O glorious Saint Thomas More, your fidelity to Christ and His Holy Church, even at the cost of your life, inspires us to place God above all human favor. Obtain for us the grace of courage and clarity of conscience, that we too may stand firm in faith and truth. Amen.