Saint Alexander Briant (1 December): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

On December 1, the Church honors the incredible courage of Blessed Alexander Bryant, a young English priest who endured some of the most severe torture of the Elizabethan persecution. This episode from Lives of the Saints recounts his inspiring faithfulness, his imprisonment in the Tower of London, and the miraculous peace he experienced amid unimaginable suffering. Born in Somerset and educated at Oxford, Bryant was reconciled to the Catholic Church, went on to study at the seminary in Douai, and was ordained in 1579. His missionary work in England was filled with zeal, bringing many back to the faith—including future Jesuit Father Robert Persons. Arrested on April 28, 1581, he became the target of brutal interrogations. Authorities tortured him with needles under his nails, starvation, freezing confinement, and two days stretched on the rack. Despite this, Bryant maintained extraordinary serenity. He wrote a powerful letter from the Tower describing the consolation God gave him during the torture, and he requested admission into the Society of Jesus. He was executed at Tyburn on December 1, 1581, alongside other English martyrs. This date also commemorates Blessed Ricard Langley, executed in York in 1586 for sheltering priests. This reflection reminds us of the steadfast faith, courage, and grace shown by the English Martyrs. ✝️ “I felt consoled and happy for what I had just suffered.” – Bl. Alexander Bryant 00:00 – Introduction: Lives of the Saints – December 1 00:20 – Early Life of Alexander Bryant 00:38 – Conversion, Seminary at Douai & Ordination 00:54 – Mission in England and Ministry in the West Country 01:04 – The Arrest of Fr. Alexander Bryant (1581) 01:14 – Brutal Interrogation Ordered by Privy Council 01:29 – Torture with Needles & Starvation in Counter Prison 01:40 – Imprisonment in the Tower of London 01:44 – Torture on the Rack & Norton’s Testimony 02:03 – Bryant’s Letter from the Tower – Miracle of Consolation 02:35 – Desire to Join the Jesuits 02:46 – Trial at Westminster Hall 02:55 – Appearance in Court with Cross & Tau Robe 03:12 – Martyrdom at Tyburn – December 1, 1581 03:22 – Blessed Ricard Langley: Martyr of 1586 https://sensusfidelium.com/st-simeon-bishop-of-ctesiphon-and-his-companions-martyrs/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.com for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶ 3. Subscribe to Other Video Platforms 🔴 SpiritusTV - https://spiritustv.com/@SensusFidelium 🔴 BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ 🔴 Rumble --- https://rumble.com/c/c-298311 🔴 My Catholic Tube - https://mycatholictube.com/videos/sensus-fidelium-channel/ 🔴 LBRY.tv --- https://lbry.tv/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 ODYSEE - https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 UGETube - https://videos.utahgunexchange.com/@Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 BrandNewTube - https://brandnewtube.com/@SensusFidelium 🔴 GabTV - https://tv.gab.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 GloriaTV - https://gloria.tv/Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 Brighteon - https://www.brighteon.com/channels/sensusfidelium ▶ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ ▶ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 Please "Like" our videos so that Youtube shares it to others by clicking the "Like" thumbs-up under the video = 👍🏻 ▶ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Parler: https://parler.com/profile/Sensusfidelium/posts 🔴 SP3RN: https://www.sp3rn.com/community/pages/14-sensus-fidelium 🔴 GAB: https://gab.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Bastyon: https://bastyon.com/sensusfidelium 🔴 GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/sensus_fidelium 🔴 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sensusfidelium/ 🔴 Telegram: https//t.me/RealSensusFidelium 🔴 Truth Social - @SensusFidelium ▶ 8. Follow on iTunes: 🔴 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sensus-fidelium-catholic-podcast/id1477010758 #SaintOfTheDay #LivesOfTheSaints #CatholicSaints #AlexanderBryant #EnglishMartyrs #CatholicHistory #JesuitMartyrs #TyburnMartyrs #RicardLangley #December1Saints #CatholicFaith #MartyrsOfEngland #