Sydney Hodgson
English martyr
Who they were
Sydney Hodgson, a convert layman, was at the Mass of Edmund Gennings in Swithun Wells's house when Topcliffe burst in at the Consecration. With other men he held the door until Mass was finished, then gave himself up.
Charged with receiving priests and being reconciled to Rome, he was offered his life for a promise of occasional conformity, but chose to die for his faith. He was executed at Tyburn on 10 December 1591.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
A layman who guarded the Mass and died for his faith.
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.
Connected on this site
- Edmund Gennings Saint“Sydney Hodgson, a convert layman, was at the Mass of Edmund Gennings in Swithun Wells's house when Topcliffe burst in at the Consecration.” — this site's research
- Swithun Wells Saint“Sydney Hodgson, a convert layman, was at the Mass of Edmund Gennings in Swithun Wells's house when Topcliffe burst in at the Consecration.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Sydney Hodgson
- Wikidata Q7659971 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Sydney Hodgson (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.