The Gorcum martyrs were 19 Catholic clerics who were kidnapped from Gorcum (Gorinchem) by free-booting Protestant pirates in 1572 during the religious wars, and handed over to the Protestant authorities, who ordered them to be hanged when they refused to renounce the Pope. They were beatified in 1675 and canonized in 1867. Scenes from their martyrdom and canonization are depicted on the reliquary, which was made in 1870 and contains their remains, rescued from the site of the convent where the Brussels Stock Exchange now stands. The martyrs are: St. Claes Pieck 1534-1572; St. Jeronymus of Weert 1522?-1572; St. Nicasius of Heeze 1522?-1572; St. Dirck Eem c.1499-1572; St. Willehad the Dane 1482-1572; St. Govaert of Melver c.1512-1572; St. Antonius of Weert c. 1523-1572; St. Antonius of Hoornaar ? -1572; St. Francois de Roye 1549-1572; St. Peter of Assche 1530-1572; St. Cornejlis of Wijk 1548-1572; St. Jan van Keulen ? - 1572; St. Jacques Lacops 1541-1572; St. Adriaan of Hilvarenbeek c. 1530-1572; St. Jan van Oosterwijk 1504-1572; St. Govaert van Duynen 1502-1572; St. Andreis Wouters 1542-1572; St. Nicolaas Janssen 1532-1572; St. Lennaert Veghel 1527-1572.
The Gorcum martyrs were 19 Catholic clerics who were kidnapped from Gorcum (Gorinchem) by free-booting Protestant pirates in 1572 during the religious wars, and handed over to the Protestant authorities, who ordered them to be hanged when they refused to renounce the Pope. They were beatified in 1675 and canonized in 1867. Scenes from their martyrdom and canonization are depicted on the reliquary, which was made in 1870 and contains their remains, rescued from the site of the convent where the Brussels Stock Exchange now stands. The martyrs are: St. Claes Pieck 1534-1572; St. Jeronymus of Weert 1522?-1572; St. Nicasius of Heeze 1522?-1572; St. Dirck Eem c.1499-1572; St. Willehad the Dane 1482-1572; St. Govaert of Melver c.1512-1572; St. Antonius of Weert c. 1523-1572; St. Antonius of Hoornaar ? -1572; St. Francois de Roye 1549-1572; St. Peter of Assche 1530-1572; St. Cornejlis of Wijk 1548-1572; St. Jan van Keulen ? - 1572; St. Jacques Lacops 1541-1572; St. Adriaan of Hilvarenbeek c. 1530-1572; St. Jan van Oosterwijk 1504-1572; St. Govaert van Duynen 1502-1572; St. Andreis Wouters 1542-1572; St. Nicolaas Janssen 1532-1572; St. Lennaert Veghel 1527-1572.
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