St. John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, English Martyr

St. John Fisher (c.1469-1535) was an English Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal, who was executed by order of Henry VIII for refusing to acknowledge the king's supremacy over the Church in England. Born in Yorkshire, he served as the Bishop of Rochester for over 30 years, known for his piety, scholarship, and defense of Catholic orthodoxy. He was a respected theologian and a leading opponent of the Protestant Reformation. Fisher was executed for treason in 1535 and was subsequently canonized as a martyr by the Catholic Church in 1935. He is the patron saint of the diocese of Rochester.