St Nicholas Owen

Jesuit lay-brother and martyr. There is no record of his family, birthplace, date of birth, or baptism. Nicholas was a carpenter and servant of the Society of Jesus. He joined the order around 1580. At the execution of St Edmund Campion he openly declared him innocent and was imprisoned. After his release he served Fathers Henry Garnett and John Gerard for eighteen years. Small in stature - he was often called 'Little John' - he was greatly esteemed for his dedication and skill in building hiding places for priests.

Nicholas was captured again with Fr John, escaped from the Tower, and helped the escape of Fr Gerard. He was finally arrested for the last time at Hindlip Hall, Worcestershire, while impersonating Fr Garnett.

"It is incredible," wrote Cecil, "how great was the joy caused by his arrest - knowing the great skill of Owen in constructing hiding places, and the innumerable quantity of dark holes which he had schemed for hiding priests all through England."

Nicholas was tortured for days at the Tower before he finally died of his injuries in 1606.

The Jesuits wrote that: "he was of singularly innocent life and wonderful prudence, and his skill in devising hiding-places saved the lives of many of the missionary fathers." Nicholas Owen was canonized in 1970, by Pope Paul VI among the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.

He is the patron saint of magicians and escapologists.

Watch a short film about St Nicholas Owen from Mary's Dowry Productions: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMktGl0W7pI