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Four men burning the Holy Rood near Harwich, Essex
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Four men burning the Holy Rood near Harwich, Essex
Four men burning the Holy Rood (from All Saints Church, Dovercourt) near Harwich, Essex.
1533
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Media ID 23059900
© Mary Evans Picture Library
1530s 1533 Burning Conflict Dovercourt Essex Flames Foxe Harwich Martyrs Protestant Rood Saints
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EDITORS COMMENTS
In this evocative image from the 1530s, four men are depicted huddled around a large wooden structure ablaze with fire and flames, as they burn the Holy Rood near Harwich, Essex. The Holy Rood, or Holy Cross, was a revered religious symbol in medieval Europe, representing the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. This act of destruction was a significant moment in the religious conflict between Protestant and Catholic factions during the reign of King Henry VIII. The men in the image are likely Protestant reformers, who opposed the veneration of relics and religious icons, including the Holy Rood. The burning of the rood was a defiant act against the Catholic Church, which held such symbols as sacred. The scene is set against the backdrop of a dark and ominous night, with the flickering flames casting long, ominous shadows. This image is believed to have been taken from All Saints Church in Dovercourt, Essex, and was recorded in Foxe's Book of Martyrs, a prominent Protestant text that chronicled the persecution of Protestants under the Catholic Church. The men in the image are among the many religious martyrs who lost their lives during this tumultuous period in English history. The flames of the fire, once a symbol of purification and sacrifice, now represent the destructive power of religious conflict and the passion and conviction of those who were willing to risk their lives for their beliefs.
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