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Saint Thomas Aquinas, OP

An altarpiece in Ascoli Piceno, Italy,

by Carlo Crivelli (15th century)

Religious, priest and

Doctor of the Church

Born 28 January 1225[1]

Roccasecca, Kingdom of Sicily

Died 7 March 1274[1]

Fossanova, Papal States

Venerated in Roman Catholic Church

Anglican Communion

Lutheranism

Canonized 18 July 1323, Avignon, Papal States,

by Pope John XXII

Major shrine Church of the Jacobins, Toulouse,

France

Feast 28 January (7 March, until 1969)

Attributes The Summa theologiae, a model

church, the sun on the chest of a

Dominican friar

Thomas AquinasFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thomas Aquinas, OP (/kwans/; 1225 7 March1274), also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an

Italian[3][4] Dominican friar and Catholic priest who was animmensely influential philosopher and theologian in thetradition of scholasticism, within which he is also known as

the "Doctor Angelicus" and "Doctor Communis".[5]

"Aquinas" is from the county of Aquino, an area where hisfamily held land until 1137. He was born in Roccasecca,Italy.

He was the foremost classical proponent of natural theology,and the father of Thomism. His influence on Western thoughtis considerable, and much of modern philosophy wasconceived in development or opposition of his ideas,particularly in the areas of ethics, natural law, metaphysics,and political theory. Unlike many currents in the Church of

the time,[6] Thomas embraced several ideas put forward byAristotle whom he referred to as "the Philosopher" andattempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the

principles of Christianity.[7] The works for which he is bestknown are the Summa Theologica and the Summa contraGentiles. His commentaries on Sacred Scripture and onAristotle are an important part of his body of work.Furthermore, Thomas is distinguished for his eucharistic

hymns, which form a part of the Church's liturgy.[8]

Thomas is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church and isheld to be the model teacher for those studying for thepriesthood, and indeed the highest expression of both naturalreason and speculative theology. In modern times, underpapal directives, the study of his works was long used as acore of the required program of study for those seekingordination as priests or deacons, as well as for those inreligious formation and for other students of the sacreddisciplines (philosophy, Catholic theology, church history,

liturgy, canon law).[9]

Also honored as a Doctor of the Church, Thomas isconsidered the Church's greatest theologian and philosopher.Pope Benedict XV declared: "This (Dominican) Order ...acquired new luster when the Church declared the teaching