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Thomas More was a lawyer and judge, as well as the Lord High Chancellor under king Henry VIII before the protestant reformation. However, his success as a politician would come at odds with his faith when the Church of England separated from the Catholic Church and appointed the King of England as its supreme head. More refused to swear allegiance to the king as the head of the church, and for this he was convicted of treason and beheaded. Up until his death, More wrote against the reformation. Just before he was killed, he kissed his executioner and forgave him. Lifetime:  1478 to 1535 Region:  London, England Patronages:  Lawyers; Adopted children; Politicians; Difficult marriages Iconograpy:  Fur hood; Robe; Quill pen; Chain of office Feast Day:  June 22

It takes a special kind of martyr to get assassinated at the orders of one king and have your tomb desecrated by another three centuries later. Even more so when you're then venerated as a saint by the very church the latter king founded! But St. Thomas Becket of Canterbury is just such a special martyr. Lifetime:  1119 to 1170 Region:  London and Canterbury, England Patronages:  Diocesan priests and deacons; London Iconograpy:  Sword in head; Archbishop vestments Feast Day: December 29 Thomas Becket was born in London on the feast day of St. Thomas the Apostle. His father was a property-owning merchant, making Thomas part of the rising middle class. Thomas attended various schools as a youth, but he was no standout pupil. When his father’s wealth dried up as Thomas was a young adult, Thomas became a clerk in relative’s business, and he later moved on to a position in the Archbishop’s household. While serving the Archbishop, Thomas learned canon law and was sent to R...