Thomas More was born in London in 1477. He was educated at Oxford. He married and had one son and three daughters. He was a well-respected lawyer and humanist scholar and served as Chancellor to King Henry VIII. He was devoted to his family and managed to maintain his life of prayer and his many duties. Thomas retired from public life as the king attempted to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. He was eventually beheaded on Tower Hill on 6 July 1535. John Paul II declared him patron of politicians in 2000. – CTS New Daily Roman Missal 2012, p 2768; Christian Prayer 1990, p 1150