Blessed Edward James

Biography

Blessed Edward James, also known as Gerald Edwards, Gerard Edwards, and Edward Campion, was born in Breaston, Derbyshire, England. He was raised in a Protestant family but eventually converted to Catholicism. Blessed Edward received his education at Saint John’s College, Oxford, but due to his refusal to acknowledge the queen as the head of Christianity in England, he was not awarded a degree.

Following his conversion, Blessed Edward pursued his vocation to the priesthood. He traveled to Rheims and Rome, Italy as a seminarian to study for the priesthood. Finally, in 1583, he was ordained as a Catholic priest. Filled with a strong desire to minister to covert Catholics in England, Blessed Edward returned to his homeland in 1585.

The situation for Catholics in England at that time was perilous, as the Reformation had led to the persecution of those who remained loyal to the Catholic Church. Aware of the risks he faced, Blessed Edward dedicated himself to providing spiritual support and sacraments to Catholics in secret.

Unfortunately, his mission was short-lived. In 1585, Blessed Edward was arrested and imprisoned in Marshalsea prison in London, alongside fellow Catholic martyr, Blessed Ralph Crockett. The two men endured four and a half years of imprisonment before their martyrdom.

On 1 October 1588, Blessed Edward James was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Chichester, West Sussex, England. His crime was simply being a Catholic priest and ministering to Catholics in violation of the laws established by the English government.

Blessed Edward James is honored and venerated by the Catholic Church as a martyr. His feast day is celebrated on 1 October, and he is also recognized as one of the Martyrs of Douai on 29 October and as one of the Martyrs of Oxford University on 1 December.

Pope Pius XI officially venerated him on 8 December 1929, and on the same day, he was beatified by the same pontiff. Today, Blessed Edward James is remembered for his unwavering faith, his commitment to his fellow Catholics, and his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his religious beliefs.