Execution of John Ogilvie (1615)

John Ogilvie, a Scottish Jesuit priest, was executed in Glasgow on 10 March 1615. He had ministered to Catholics in the region after the Reformation made their faith illegal. His death for his faith led to his later canonization as a saint.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. John Ogilvie was a Jesuit priest who served in Rouen before requesting transfer to Scotland. He aimed to minister to the small Catholic population in the Glasgow area, where preaching and endorsing Catholicism had become illegal following the Scottish Reformation in 1560.

Trial and Execution. Arrested in October 1614, Ogilvie was tried for refusing to pledge allegiance to King James over the Church. Found guilty, he was hanged at Glasgow Cross on 10 March 1615. His final words addressed hidden Catholics, and he threw his rosary into the crowd after being pushed from the stairs.

Legacy. Recognized for his service to persecuted Catholics and his murder due to faith, Ogilvie was beatified in 1929 and canonized in 1976. He remains the only post-Reformation Scottish saint, with a church in Corby dedicated to his memory.

People involved

Sources

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