Thomas Becket (also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London, and later Thomas à Becket; circa 1118 – 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 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 canonised by Pope Alexander III.
Read more about Thomas Becket: Sources, Early Life, Primacy, The Constitutions of Clarendon, Assassination, Aftermath, Cult in The Middle Ages, Legacy
Famous quotes containing the word thomas:
“He holds the wire from this box of nerves
Praising the moral error
Of birth and death, the two sad knaves of thieves,
And the hunger’s emperor;
He pulls the chain, the cistern moves.”
—Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)