Early Life and Formation
Saint Thomas Aquinas was born around 1225 in the castle of Roccasecca, near Aquino in the Kingdom of Sicily (modern-day Italy). He was born into the noble Counts of Aquino, a family of wealth and influence. His parents had high ambitions for him, intending that he would become a Benedictine monk, possibly even the abbot of Monte Cassino, one of the most prestigious positions in Christendom.
However, God had other plans. As a young boy, Thomas was sent to the University of Naples, where he first encountered the newly founded Order of Preachers (the Dominicans). Inspired by their life of poverty, study, and preaching, he resolved to join them. His family, outraged at his decision to forsake worldly honor, imprisoned him for nearly a year in an attempt to dissuade him. They even sent a woman to tempt him into sin, but Thomas, seizing a burning brand from the fireplace, drove her away and prayed for the gift of chastity, which he received in an extraordinary manner.
After escaping captivity—likely with the help of his sympathetic sisters—he took the Dominican habit and was sent to study under Saint Albert the Great in Cologne and later in Paris. Though his classmates mocked his quiet demeanor and slow speech, calling him the “Dumb Ox,” Saint Albert prophetically declared:
“You call him the Dumb Ox, but I tell you that his bellowing in doctrine will one day resound throughout the world.”
The Angelic Doctor
Thomas became a towering intellect in Catholic theology, known for his synthesis of Aristotelian philosophy and Christian doctrine. His masterpiece, the Summa Theologica, remains one of the greatest theological works in Church history. He also wrote profound commentaries on Scripture and the works of Aristotle, as well as beautiful hymns for the feast of Corpus Christi, including “Pange Lingua” and “Adoro Te Devote”.
His writings, marked by clarity and deep faith, earned him the title Doctor Angelicus (Angelic Doctor). He was also a man of great mystical insight, often spending hours in prayer, sometimes levitating during ecstasies. Toward the end of his life, after a mystical vision of Christ, he declared:
“All that I have written seems like straw compared to what I have seen.”
After this, he ceased writing altogether.
Holy Death and Canonization
While traveling to the Second Council of Lyons in 1274, Thomas fell ill at the Cistercian abbey of Fossanova. As he lay dying, he received the Holy Viaticum with the greatest devotion, uttering these words:
“I receive Thee, Price of my soul’s redemption; for love of Thee have I studied and labored, preached and taught.”
He entered into his eternal reward on March 7, 1274.
Saint Thomas was canonized in 1323 by Pope John XXII, and in 1567, Pope Pius V declared him a Doctor of the Church. Pope Leo XIII, in 1879, affirmed that his teachings should be the foundation of Catholic theology.
Legacy and Patronage
Saint Thomas Aquinas is the Patron Saint of Catholic Schools, Universities, Philosophers, Theologians, and Students. His works continue to guide the Church, and his example inspires all who seek truth in faith and reason.
His feast day is celebrated on January 28 in the traditional Roman calendar and on March 7 in the 1962 Missal and Dominican Rite.
Prayer to Saint Thomas Aquinas
“O Angelic Doctor, Saint Thomas, light of the Church and model of purity, grant that through your intercession, we may grow in wisdom and holiness, always seeking truth in the light of Christ. Amen.”