Thomas Pormort

Who they were

Thomas Pormort of Hull studied at Cambridge, Reims and Rome, where he was ordained in 1587, and was prefect of studies at the Swiss college in Milan. He returned to England in disguise as a servant.

Arrested in 1591, he was repeatedly racked by Topcliffe. Convicted of treason for being a priest and reconciling a haberdasher to the Church, he was executed in St Paul's Churchyard on 20 February 1592.

The miracles

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

Why that counted as sanctity

A priest who suffered torture for reconciling souls.