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Saint Thomas of Canterbury

History of Saint Thomas of Canterbury

St. Thomas Beckett

 

St. Thomas Beckett was born in London on December 21, ~1118. He died at Canterbury on December 29, 1170. St. Thomas was born of a family that was originally from Normandy, and was somewhat well off. In 1141 he worked under Theobald, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury, and became a trusted clerk. He was ordained as a deacon in 1154. In this same time period Henry II came to power over the land. Henry II placed St. Thomas as his chancellor.

Thomas worked extremely closely with the King and had an enormous amount of power in this role. St. Thomas was consecrated as archbishop after the death of the previous archbishop. St. Thomas gave up his lavish lifestyle and opposed the King on many issues regarding the church. The King, in what St. Thomas assumed was an effort to take away from the independence of the church, demanded that St. Thomas return many of his private possessions, such as land. In a dispute over a different matter, St. Thomas was found in contempt of court and fined 500 pounds, which ultimately grew to a sum of 30,000 pounds.

St. Thomas eventually went to the King in his chambers to ask for a release from the fines but was denied. In a mob that disputed the King's claim, St. Thomas escaped from the King's chambers and fled to France, then to the pope. The King confiscated all of St. Thomas's possessions and demanded that he return. After several years of negotiations, St. Thomas returned and worked with others to create an accord between the King and the church.

 

“Here I am, no traitor, but archbishop and priest of God.”

December 20, 1170

On December 20, 1170, four knights demanded the absolution of the bishops. St. Thomas would not comply, and the men later returned armed and with a larger band.

They demanded that the traitor show himself, to which St. Thomas replied,

“Here I am, no traitor, but archbishop and priest of God.”

They tried to take him from the church, but in the end they slew him there. His friend, Edward Grimm, who bore his cross, was wounded in the struggle.

St. Thomas is represented sometimes as an archbishop with a wounded head, holding an inverted sword, kneeling before his murderers, being murdered in the church with a crosier with a battle ax head at the top.