St. Poemen, Abbot (27 August): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

On August 27, The Lives of the Saints attributed to Fr. Alban Butler recounts the tragic medieval story of Little Hugh of Lincoln, an English Christian child whose death in 1255 became associated with claims of martyrdom. According to the traditional account, Hugh was abducted, tortured, and killed in imitation of the Passion of Christ. His body was later discovered, arrests followed, and several members of Lincoln’s Jewish community were executed or imprisoned under King Henry III. The reading also presents an important historical qualification: medieval England was marked by intense antisemitism, and it is impossible to establish with certainty whether those accused were actually guilty of Hugh’s murder. One imprisoned man was also said to have made the false claim that Jews ritually killed a Christian child each year—an accusation that became part of later medieval legend. The account further records reported miracles associated with Hugh’s remains, their solemn transfer at Lincoln, and the way his story entered medieval literature and popular ballads. Geoffrey Chaucer later referenced the tradition, while similar stories developed around William of Norwich. This episode offers a window into medieval devotion, legend, persecution, and the difficulties involved in separating historical fact from later tradition. #LittleHughOfLincoln #CatholicHistory #LivesOfTheSaints #August27 #MedievalHistory #CatholicSaints #ChurchHistory #AlbanButler #EnglishCatholicHistory #SensusFidelium 00:00 – Little Hugh of Lincoln 00:18 – The Traditional Account of His Torture 00:32 – The Death of Hugh in 1255 00:41 – Henry III & the Punishment of the Accused 00:50 – The Medieval Legend Begins 00:57 – Hugh’s Disappearance in Lincoln 01:05 – The Alleged Torture & Crucifixion 01:22 – Arrests Following the Discovery 01:29 – The Confession & a False Ritual-Murder Claim 01:36 – King Henry III & Parliament 01:44 – Executions and Imprisonments 01:53 – Franciscan Intercession 02:00 – Reported Miracle at Hugh’s Body 02:09 – Translation of His Relics 02:16 – Were the Accused Guilty? 02:23 – Medieval Antisemitism & Historical Uncertainty 02:32 – Chaucer and the Legend of Little Hugh 02:40 – Hugh & William of Norwich in Medieval Ballads https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/august/st-poemen/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ SUPPORT THE MISSION 🙏 Donate https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📰 Read on Substack https://sensusfidelium.substack.com/ ──────────────────── 📺 WATCH & READ 📺 Sensus Fidelium App https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 👕 Official Merchandise https://sensusfidelium.com/merchandise/ ──────────────────── 🤝 PARTNER WITH US 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ──────────────────── 🌎 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ✝️ Trusted Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴