Saints
T

Saint · High medieval

Thomas Aquinas

Dominican friar and theologian, author of the unfinished Summa Theologiae; Doctor of the Church

Period
c. 1225–1274
Feast day
28 January
Associated region
Roccasecca and Aquino (Kingdom of Sicily); Paris, Cologne, Orvieto and Rome; died at Fossanova

Dominican friar and theologian whose Summa Theologiae is unfinished. Declared a Doctor of the Church in 1567.

Key timeline

4 events
View full timeline (9)
  1. c. 1225Approximate

    Birth at Roccasecca

  2. c. 1244Approximate

    Escapes his family and joins the Dominicans

  3. 1245–1252

    Study in Paris and Cologne under Albertus Magnus

  4. 1259–1265

    Summa contra Gentiles

    Completed at Orvieto.

Thomas was most likely born around 1225 at the family castle of Roccasecca, near Aquino. At nineteen he resolved to join the Dominicans, against his family’s opposition. About 1244 he escaped and met the Dominican Master General in Rome.

He studied in Paris from 1245 and in Cologne from 1248, where he followed Albertus Magnus. He returned to Paris in 1252 and taught there in two periods, 1256–1259 and 1268 to early 1272.

He died on 7 March 1274 at the Cistercian abbey of Fossanova, falling ill on the way to the Second Council of Lyon.

Principal written sources

  • Authentic, dated: Summa contra Gentiles, 1259–1265, completed at Orvieto; Summa Theologiae, 1265–1274, unfinished, begun at the Santa Sabina studium in Rome; Catena aurea, written at Orvieto after September 1261.
  • Authentic, undated: his commentaries on Aristotle, including On the Soul, Physics and Metaphysics (the checked article gives no dates).
  • Attributed and confirmed: the Eucharistic hymns Pange lingua and Panis angelicus. The checked article says modern scholarship has confirmed his authorship.
  • Later account: a life by Guglielmo Tocco, named in the checked article as his biographer (its date is not given there).

Full timeline

  1. c. 1225Approximate

    Birth at Roccasecca

  2. c. 1244Approximate

    Escapes his family and joins the Dominicans

  3. 1245–1252

    Study in Paris and Cologne under Albertus Magnus

  4. 1259–1265

    Summa contra Gentiles

    Completed at Orvieto.

  5. 1265–1274

    Summa Theologiae (unfinished)

    Begun at Santa Sabina in Rome.

  6. 1273Legend

    The Naples crucifix incident

    Traditionally held; the first reporter is not identified in the checked article.

  7. 7 March 1274

    Death at Fossanova

  8. 18 July 1323Church-recognised

    Canonised

    By Pope John XXII at Avignon.

  9. 15 April 1567Church-recognised

    Declared a Doctor of the Church

    By Pope Pius V.

Canonised on 18 July 1323 by Pope John XXII at Avignon. Declared a Doctor of the Church on 15 April 1567 by Pope Pius V, in the bull Mirabilis Deus.

At the Council of Trent his Summa Theologiae was placed on the altar beside the Bible and the Decretals, according to the checked article.

Feast day
  • 28 January — Feast day, moved from 7 March in the 1969 calendar revision
Venerated in (starting dataset)
Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran. Veneration recorded here: Catholic (canonisation, Doctor of the Church) and Anglican (feast 28 January, per the checked article). The workbook also lists Lutheran veneration, which the checked article does not confirm.
Patronage and roles (starting dataset)
Students, Universities, Academics
Places
Roccasecca · Aquino · Paris · Cologne · Naples · Orvieto · Rome · Fossanova

These stories are part of how Thomas Aquinas has been remembered, but they are not established biography. Each is labelled with when it first appears in writing.

  • The poisoning storyLater writers

    Dante, Giovanni Villani and the Anonimo Fiorentino repeat a story that he was poisoned. The checked article notes that a friend’s account, reproduced by Muratori, gives no hint of foul play.

In the starting dataset

The source workbook lists these under “Confirmed Miracle / Key Event”. The Atlas does not treat them as confirmed: each is labelled by the kind of evidence behind it.

  • LegendLevitation before a crucifix at Naples, and Christ’s words “You have written well of me”

    “Levitating before crucifix in Naples; Christ spoke: 'You have written well of me'”

    The checked article says levitation is traditionally ascribed to him, and that the Naples chapel incident of 1273 is traditionally held, with a sacristan named as witness. The words are reportedly Christ’s. The article’s citations point to Guglielmo Tocco and later scholarship, not to a contemporary report.

  • UnverifiedSpontaneous intellectual illumination that solved theological problems

    “Spontaneous intellectual illumination solving complex theological issues”

    Not in the checked article; not treated as established.

About the image · Editorial design

Decorative initial T, drawn for the Atlas. It is not a likeness of Thomas Aquinas.

Editorial status

Reference entry, drafted with particular care. Key dates were spot-checked during this build against the sources marked “checked” below; other references are listed for later verification.

References

  • Reference work✓ Checked in build session

    Thomas Aquinas

    Wikipedia

    Opened in this session. Checked: birth at Roccasecca and death at Fossanova (7 March 1274), the entry to the Dominicans, the study and teaching dates, the works and their dates, the attributed hymns, canonisation (18 July 1323), the Doctor (15 April 1567), the feast (moved to 28 January in 1969), the Trent detail, the levitation and Naples accounts as traditional, and the poisoning story. The primary works and Tocco’s life have not been opened.

  • Workbook linkNot yet checked

    vatican.va

    Link supplied in the source workbook (“Top 100 Saints”, row 67). It has not been checked to confirm that it supports every claim in that row.

Original workbook record

Imported unchanged from “Top 100 Saints”, row 67. Values here are the starting dataset, not verified facts; where the Atlas differs, the reason is noted below.

#
59
Saint / Title
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Primary Traditions Veneration
Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran
Feast Day(s)
Jan 28
Era / Lived
1225 – 1274 AD
Origin / Region
Aquino, Italy
Patronage & Major Roles
Students, Universities, Academics
Confirmed Miracle / Key Event 1
Levitating before crucifix in Naples; Christ spoke: 'You have written well of me'
Confirmed Miracle / Key Event 2
Spontaneous intellectual illumination solving complex theological issues
Key Contribution / Historical Significance
Dominican friar and premier Scholastic philosopher; author of 'Summa Theologiae'.
Reference Link
https://www.vatican.va

Editorial notes on this record

  • Feast Day(s): 28 January is the post-1969 feast; 7 March is his original feast on the anniversary of his death.
  • Confirmed Miracle / Key Event 2: Spontaneous illumination: not in the checked article; not carried as established.
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