February 25: Pope Pius V excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1570.

Pope Pius V gave the Queen of England excommunication through a Papal Bull, in response to the Queen´s decision to assume the leadership of the Church of England or Anglican Church, as it is known worldwide. The Pope considered the Queen´s decision a heresy, in spite of being already Protestant.

Queen Elizabeth refused to marry, and was therefore nicknamed the "Virgin Queen". She did not want to share power with a consort king in order to consolidate Anglicanism, economic and maritime progress.

                        "Reina Elizabeth I Francis Drake knighting"

England had broken away from the Catholic Church in Rome, during the Reformation period. Mary Tudor was the only child of Henry VIII his first wife Catherine of Aragon who survived to adulthood. When she acceded to the throne of England reestablished Catholicism and connection with the Pope in Rome.

Sir Francis Drake indicating the Spanish Armada to Elizabeth I

She was nicknamed “Bloody Mary” for her Heresy Acts that ordered executions of Protestants. However, when Elizabeth came to the throne, she thought that it was politically and perhaps morally preferable to uphold the reformed church and did so. Therefore, she assumed as the head of the English church through an act of Parliament.

Unidentified couple, possibly Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Drake

Elizabethan Pirates, also known as “Elizabeth Sea Dogs” who had the Queen´s permission to attack the Spanish ships. English pirates had a “letter of marquee and reprisal” which was a government licence authorizing a private person to attack and capture foreign vessels. The Elizabeth Era has been also named the Age of Exploration through famous Pirates who brought wealth and power to England.

Holy Catholic and apostolic Church, outside of which there is no salvation!