7 historical events that happened on Valentine’s Day

By Michael Gryboski, Editor
Friday, February 13, 2026

2. Archbishop Thomas Cranmer degraded ahead of execution — 1556

Valentine’s Day marks the anniversary of when Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer, a prominent figure in the English Protestant Reformation, was officially degraded, which stripped him of his ecclesiastical titles and authority.

Cranmer served as archbishop during the reign of King Henry VIII, and helped to oversee the Church of England’s break with the Roman Catholic Church.

When Catholic Queen Mary I came to power, Cranmer was tried for treason due to his beliefs and also because he had supported Protestant Lady Jane Grey’s claim to the English throne.

As part of the proceedings against him, explained History Today, Cranmer “was taken to the cathedral church in Oxford and solemnly degraded of his archie-piscopal robes and insignia,” with him “attired in layman’s dress and returned to his prison.”

The following month, Cranmer was burned at the stake.

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