Richard Gwyn was a 16th-century Welsh poet and teacher born in Llanidloes. After studying at both Oxford and Cambridge, he worked as a schoolmaster in the Wrexham region. Although he was a talented bard who wrote satirical and Christian verse, he is most notably recognized for his religious convictions. Because he refused to take the Oath of Supremacy and rejected communion within the Anglican Church, he faced legal persecution, eventually leading to his execution for high treason in Wrexham.
Life and death
Following his university education, Gwyn married Catherine and raised six children. He remained a committed Catholic, which led him to operate illegal underground schools. His resistance to the established religious order resulted in his arrest in 1579. He was imprisoned in the dungeon of Ruthin Castle before being executed in 1584. He is remembered as one of the Forty English Martyrs.
Veneration and legacy
Gwyn was canonized as a saint by Pope Paul VI in 1970. Within the Catholic tradition, his feast day is observed on 17 October. He serves as the patron for the Diocese of Wrexham, a role he has held since 1987, and he is also a co-patron of the Latin Mass Society.