Nicholas Ridley (martyr)

Nicholas Ridley (* 1500 in Northumberland, † October 16, 1555 in Oxford) was Bishop of Rochester in England.

Nicholas Ridley was born as the second son of Christopher Ridley, a member of a prominent family in Northumberland, in the early 16th century. He received his education at the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle. He then studied at the University of Cambridge. There he received his Master's degree in 1525. Shortly thereafter, he was ordained as a priest and went to Paris, where he furthered his studies at the Sorbonne.

After his return to England (about 1529), he became in 1534 chief Proctor of the University of Cambridge. At this time, there was a significant dispute over the authority of the Pope. Ridley, who had acquired deep knowledge of biblical hermeneutics, the University moved to the adoption of the following resolution, which was in a slightly different form to one of the articles of faith of the Anglican Church: "The fact that the Bishop of Rome derived no more authority and jurisdiction of God, in this Kingdom England than any other foreign bishop. " in 1537 he received from Cambridge a undergraduate degree ( Bachelor of Divinity, which is considered a higher degree at Cambridge, in contrast to most undergraduate degrees ) and was appointed chaplain (adjunct ) of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, appointed.

1538 Cranmer appointed him Vicar of Herne in Kent. In 1540 he became a royal chaplain and received a seat in the choir of the Cathedral of Canterbury. He was also Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge. In 1543 he was accused of heresy, but he defended himself successfully against this charge. In 1547 he was consecrated as Bishop of Rochester. Shortly thereafter, he ordered that instead of the altar tables in the churches of the diocese should be set up to celebrate the sacrament.

After Maria ( with the nickname " bloody " or " Catholic " ) ascended the throne, his 1555 trial in Oxford was made in front of a Theological Commission, and he was burned along with Hugh Latimer at the stake. Therefore, he was honored by the Anglican Church as a martyr. With Latimer he shares the commemoration of the 16th October. In the Episcopal Church in the United States, Thomas Cranmer is thought that day, who was executed in the same place in March of the following year; in the Church of England Cranmer has its own Memorial Day in March. Ridley's Memorial Day in the Protestant calendar name of the Evangelical Church in Germany is October 17. The Bishop Ridley Latimer's last words were: " Play the man, Master Ridley; on this day we will, with God's grace, such a candle in England, which may never run out! "