Martyrs of Gorkum
The Martyrs of Gorkum were a group of 19 Catholic clerics, secular and religious, in the Netherlands. They were hanged on 9 July 1572 in the town of Brielle by militant Calvinists during the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule.
Given the chance to save their lives by renouncing Catholic teachings, the 19 men refused. The martyrs were beatified in 1675 and canonized in 1867. Today the martyrs are widely revered by Catholics in the Netherlands.
In the Martyrology
- July 9 Saints Nicolaas Pieck and 18 companions, martyrs of Gorkum