Week 11: Medieval Europe IDs

Thomas Aquinas

Saint Thomas Aquines was born in 1225 CE and died March 7, 1274. This Italian man was a great philosopher of the Catholic Church and is considered to be the Catholic’s greatest theologian, or studier of Gods and divinity. Since he was so prominent in religion, many Catholic Schools and educational services have been named after him. Aquinas was so distinguished for his academic success and devotion to philosophy and theology that the Dominican Order invited him to join their midst. He accepted and even defended them in front of the Pope for a dispute, he did, and defeated Guillaume de St Amour, who was at that time very successful. Aquinas graduated with a bachelor in theology. In 1248, he was appointed second lecturer and magister studentium of Cologne. Many years later, when invited to solve a dispute in a city far away, he stopped to visit his niece and fell ill. His strongest wish and last request was to be at the monastery when he died, but his condition was too serious for the travel involved, so he was taken to a nearby monastery instead where he died seven weeks later. Most of his life was devoted to learning and theology, and after his death he was still remembered and given the title Doctor Angelicius (Angelic Doctor) putting him on the same level as many other prominent saints such as St. Paul and St. Augustine. On July 18, 1323, Pope John XXII announced Aquinas official sainthood, though he had been a saint for many years in the Catholic people’s eyes. His doctrine is still being taught today, and was even laid on an alter next to the bible. He had many teachings, all focused on edifying people and their lives. Source: Book and Wikipedia