Feast of St Thomas Becket

St Thomas Becket
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Thomas Becket, also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas a Becket or Thomas á Becket (21 December 1119 – 29 December 1170, was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He engaged in conflict with Henry II, King of England, over the rights and privileges of the Church and was murdered by followers of the king in Canterbury Cathedral. Soon after his death, he was canonized by Pope Alexander III.

The main sources for the life of Becket are a number of biographies that were written by contemporaries. A few of these documents are by unknown writers, although traditional historiography has given them names. The other biographers, who are all monks of Christ Church, Canterbury, relied heavily on William of Canterbury's account of the martyrdom, which was itself based on interviews with Becket's companions. Their versions of events, however, are quite different from one another, and there are significant gaps in the story that they tell.

Thomas was born in London to Gilbert Becket, a prosperous merchant, and his wife Matilda. He was probably educated at Merton Priory in England and later attended a school in Paris. He did not study for a degree, but instead entered the household of Theobald of Bec, Archbishop of Canterbury, as a household clerk. Becket was noted for his piety and devotion to learning, and Theobald entrusted him with important tasks.

Becket spent several years in France, where he studied canon law and theology. He also served as Theobald's representative in Rome on a number of occasions. When Theobald died in 1161, Becket was nominated to succeed him as Archbishop of Canterbury. King Henry II had other candidates in mind, but eventually agreed to Becket's election.

As archbishop, Becket clashed with Henry over the rights of the Church. He opposed the King's attempts to impose royal authority over the Church, and was exiled from England on several occasions. He also excommunicated a number of royal officials, including the Archbishop of York, who had supported Henry's attempts to control the Church.

In 1170, Becket was killed by four knights who were loyal to the King. His murder caused a shock wave of outrage throughout Europe, and he was quickly canonized by Pope Alexander III. His shrine in Canterbury Cathedral became a popular site of pilgrimage, and he is now one of the most celebrated saints in the Catholic and Anglican traditions.

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