Thomas Aquinas, St
Part of The Encyclopedia of Southern Italy.
Thomas Aquinas, St. (San Tommaso da Aquino): (b. 1225, Castello di Roccasecca, near Aquino, in the Kingdom of Sicily; d. Mar. 7, 1274, at Fossanova Abbey, Lazio, Italy). Philosopher, theologian, scholar. He was a “Doctor of the Church” (Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Universalis), often considered the greatest theologian of Roman Catholicism.
Thomas was born into the important noble family of the Counts of Aquino and, through his mother, was related to the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II (His father was a nephew of Emperor Frederick I “Barbarossa”, the father of Frederick II). His father’s brother, Sinibald, was abbot of Monte Cassino. At an early age, Thomas’s family decided that he should follow a religious career and sent him to be trained by the Benedictines at Monte Cassino. At age 10, he was enrolled in the University of Naples, remaining there for six years. It was at this time that Thomas became strongly influenced by the Dominican Order and left the University at age 16 to go to Rome. Enroute, however, he was intercepted by his family who disapproved of his decision. He was brought back to his parents’ castle, where he was held against his will. A year or so later, Pope Innocent IV interceded on his behave and Thomas was freed. At the age of 17, he entered the Dominican order.
Thomas continued his education at Cologne and Paris, finally graduating as a bachelor of theology. He entered a career as a teacher and a supporter of Aristotelian science.
The influence Thomas had on the Roman Catholic Church cannot be stressed enough. His most important work, the Summa Theologiae, is often considered second in importance only to the Bible itself.
Even during his own lifetime, Thomas was considered exceptional. He refused attempts to make him archbishop of Naples and abbot of Monte Cassino, preferring his academic work.
He was a strong believer in mysticism, especially after having his mystic experience while celebrating Mass on December 6, 1273. According to later sources it was said he heard a voice speak to him from the cross complimenting him on his writing. Because of this, he ceased working on his great Summa Theologiae, believing that God was trying to tell him to leave it as it then was. It was also said that on at least one occasion, he seemed to levitate off the ground.
In January 1274, Thomas received a directive from Pope Gregory X to attend the Second Council of Lyons. Although in poor health, he set out on the arduous journey. While enroute he realized that he was dying and attempted, without success, to reach a Dominican house. When this was found to be impossible, he was brought to the Cistercian monastery of Fossa Nuova in Lazio, where he died a few weeks later on March 7, 1274. The monks of the monastery, seeking to take advantage of Thomas’s death, had his body quickly dismembered and the flesh boiled away. The bones could then be sold as holy relics.
Thomas’s family connections to the Hohenstaufen dynasty brought him under suspicion when the French Charles I of Anjou seized the Sicilian throne in 1266. Dante, in his Divine Comedy (Purg. xx.69), as well as other writers, claimed that Thomas’s death was the result of poisoning, secretly ordered by Charles.
Thomas was canonized as a saint by Pope John XXII on July 18, 1323.