The martyrdom of Esch and Voes

All praise for John and Henry

Whose witness to Your truth,
In fire and smoke foreshortened
Their brave and faithful youth.
But now, their pain is over;
They dwell with You above.
Lord, give us all such courage
To witness to your love!


On this date in 1523, two young Augustinian monks from Antwerp, Johann Esch, and Heinrich Voes. were burned at the stake at Brussels Belgium for embracing the teachings of Martin Luther. They were the first martyrs of the Reformation, and their deaths were the subject of Martin Luther's very first hymn (below).



There would be many more such martyrs. July begins with the anniversary of the martyrdom of the two Antwerp Augustinians and ends with the anniversary of the martyrdom of English Lutheran theologian and diplomat Robert Barnes under Henry VIII.