History
The archdiocese grew out of a missionary territory called the Apostolic Vicariate of England which was canonically erected in 1622. With the re-emergence of the Roman Catholic Church in England after the suspension of the Penal laws in 1687, this original apostolic vicariate was broken up and its name changed to the Apostolic Vicariate of London District on 30 January 1688. By decree of Pope Pius IX the apostolic vicariate was elevated to the rank of metropolitan archdiocese on 29 September 1850, as it remains today.
There have been several instances in the history of the Catholic Church in Westminster when its followers were persecuted by English governments: most notably during the reign of Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603) and during the shorter administration of Oliver Cromwell, the republican Lord Protector (1653-1658).
Read more about this topic: Roman Catholic Archdiocese Of Westminster
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