Edmund Sykes (born at

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

; executed at York Tyburn, 23 March 1587) was an English

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

priest. He is a Catholic martyr,

beatified Beatification (from Latin ''beatus'', "blessed" and ''facere'', "to make”) is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their nam ...

in 1987.

Life

He was a student at the English college at

Reims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by ...

, where he was ordained 21 February 1581. He was sent to the English Mission on 5 June following.Whitfield, Joseph Louis. "Edmund Sykes." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 28 March 2016 Sykes worked in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

, travelling around as a pilgrim for about three years when his health broke down. He worked primarily around Leeds, and it was there Arthur Webster, an apostate Catholic, took advantage of his illness to betray him. Sykes was committed to the York Kidcot by the

Council of the North The Council of the North was an administrative body first set up in 1484 by King Richard III of England, to improve access to conciliar justice in Northern England. This built upon steps by King Edward IV of England in delegating authority in the ...

. He consented once to be present at a Protestant service; but he refused to repeat the act and remained a prisoner. After confinement for about six months, he was again brought before the council and sentenced to banishment. On 23 August 1585, he was transferred to

Hull Castle Hull Castle was an artillery fort in Kingston upon Hull in England. Together with two supporting blockhouses, it defended the eastern side of the River Hull, and was constructed by King Henry VIII to protect against attack from France as par ...

, and within a week shipped beyond the seas. He made his way to Rome, where he was entertained at the English College, for nine days from 15 April 1586. He wanted to atone for his lapse by the pilgrimage, and he also entertained some thoughts of entering a religious order. He decided that it was God's will that he should return to the English mission, and reaching Reims on 10 June, he left again for England on 16 June. After about six months he was betrayed by his brother, to whose house in

Wath Wath may refer to: Places in England * Wath, Cumbria, a U.K. location * Wath (near Ripon), a village in Harrogate district, North Yorkshire * Wath, Ryedale, a village in North Yorkshire * Wath-in-Nidderdale, a village near Pateley Bridge in Har ...

he had resorted, and was sent a close prisoner to York Castle by the council. He was arraigned at the Lent Assizes, condemned as a traitor on the score of his priesthood, and on 23 March 1587 was drawn on the hurdle from the castle yard to York Tyburn, where he suffered the death penalty. Bl. Edmund Sykes Parish, Leeds is named for him.Bl.Edmund Sykes Catholic Parish, Leeds
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References

;Attribution * The entry cites: **'Douay Diaries, Collectanea F', in Henry Foley, ''Records S. J.'', III **'Diary of English College, Rome' in Henry Foley, ''Records S. J.'', VI {{DEFAULTSORT:Sykes, Edmund 1587 deaths 16th-century English Roman Catholic priests English beatified people 16th-century venerated Christians Eighty-five martyrs of England and Wales Year of birth unknown Clergy from Leeds

Life

See also

References