On 17 October 1521, Pope Leo X declared King Henry VIII the Fidei Defensor or Defender of the Faith. This title was given to honor Henry for his book Defense of the Seven Sacraments which attacked the theology of Martin Luther and was dedicated to Leo. This title was added to the full royal title of Henry as “Henry the Eighth, by the Grace of God, King of England and France, Defender of the Faith and Lord of Ireland”.
After Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church, Pope Paul III excommunicated Henry and rescinded the grant of the title “Defender of the Faith” in 1538 but the English Parliament declared that the title remained valid.
Henry’s book was very popular and went through twenty editions in the sixteenth century.
catholicunderthehood.com 
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We Catholics should find another word to use instead of ‘reformation’, or at least put it in quotes, or add ‘so-called’.
After Dirty Harry, everything went downhill, alas.
Vivat Henry Rex Defender of the Faith
I read somewhere that it was probably St Thomas More and St John Fisher who did the heavy lifting for Henry’s “Defense of the Seven Sacraments”.
Vivat Henry Rex!!!!! 😀
Vivat Henry Rex!!!!! Defender of the Faith 😀
I’m far more fond of Henry’s “Beheader’s Bible” & often refer to it, under its factual name of “Tyndale’s Bible” when I want to know the literal translation from original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek texts. Truthfully, I’m most fond of John 3:3 & wonder just how many times Jesus would have to say something is the truth for people to believe him instead of saying he meant not to be taken literally.
Henry remained a true Catholic until his death. If the pope had not been a prisoner of Charles fifth, Henry would have got his annulment from Catherine of Aragon. He could have kept his title FD.