St. Margaret Clitherow

St. Margaret Clitherow was born in 1556 in York, England, to Thomas and Jane Middleton, a family of Protestant background. Her father was a respected wax-chandler and Sheriff of York in 1564. Margaret married John Clitherow, a prosperous butcher, in 1571 and had three children. She converted to Catholicism in 1574, a decision supported by her husband, whose brother was a Catholic priest. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, when practicing Catholicism was illegal, Margaret secretly harbored Catholic priests and held Masses in her home. Her activities led to multiple imprisonments, including one during which she gave birth to her third child. In 1586, Margaret was arrested for harboring a priest and refused to plead to protect her family from testifying. This refusal led to her execution by peine forte et dure, a brutal method where she was crushed to death under heavy weights on Good Friday, March 25, 1586. Margaret's martyrdom was recognized by the Catholic Church, and she was beatified in 1929 by Pope Pius XI. On October 25, 1970, she was canonized by Pope Paul VI as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. Her feast day is celebrated on March 26, and she is revered as the "Pearl of York" for her unwavering faith and sacrifice.