No likeness on file

Robert Thorpe

English Roman Catholic priest and martyr

BlessedFull write-up

Born

—

unknown

Died

15 May 1591

verified

Beatified

—

not on record

Canonised

—

not yet

Who they were

Robert Thorpe, a Yorkshireman ordained at Reims in 1585, worked in Yorkshire.

He was arrested early on Palm Sunday at the house of the yeoman Thomas Watkinson, after someone saw palms being gathered. Though naturally timid, both met death with great fortitude; Thorpe was executed at York on 15 May 1591.

The miracles

As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.

Why that counted as sanctity

A timid man made brave by grace.

The cause

The cause continues. No postulation address is published here yet. Favours received through this person’s intercession, and offers of help, are best sent to the religious order or congregation they belonged to, or to the diocese where the cause was opened; either will pass them to the postulation.

A miracle approved by the Holy See is needed for the next step. If you know the postulation’s own page, tell us and it will be added here.

Connected on this site

Thomas Watkinson Blessed
“He was arrested early on Palm Sunday at the house of the yeoman Thomas Watkinson, after someone saw palms being gathered.” — this site's research

Sources

Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Robert Thorpe
Wikidata Q7350390 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
English Wikipedia — Robert Thorpe (priest) (CC BY-SA)

Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.