Thomas Aufield
English Roman Catholic martyr (1552-1585)
Feast: 6 July (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Thomas Alfield, educated at Eton and Cambridge, was converted and ordained at Reims in 1581. Arrested in 1582, he confessed his faith and endured torture in the Tower, but later gave way and attended a Protestant service.
Deeply penitent, he went back to Reims to regain his courage. Returning to England, he spread Cardinal Allen's defence of the Catholics, was arrested again and hanged at Tyburn on 6 July 1585.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
A priest who repented a fall and gave his life for the 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.
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Thomas Alfield
- Wikidata Q952928 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Thomas Aufield (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.