St. Thomas Becket
English archbishop and martyr (1118-1170), London-born son of a Norman merchant, chancellor of Henry II and his close friend before being elevated by him to Canterbury (1162) in expectation of pliability. Becket's championship of ecclesiastical jurisdiction provoked years of conflict and exile; murdered in his cathedral by four knights of Henry's household after an apparently rhetorical royal outburst. Canonized 1173 by Alexander III—two years after his death.
Life & Times
Born: 1118 · Died: 1170 · From: England.
Patronage
St. Thomas Becket is invoked as the patron of secular clergy, conflict between church and state, archbishops. Those in these callings or circumstances often turn to this saint in prayer.
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Devotional items honoring St. Thomas Becket, from our Sancta Lumina collection and beyond.
About Catholic Saints
Catholic saints, including St. Thomas Becket, are Christians whom the Catholic Church has formally recognized as having lived lifes of heroic holiness and who now dwell with God in heaven, offering an example of faith for those still on their earthly journey. Catholics don't worship saints, but ask them to pray to God with us and for us — much as one might ask a trusted friend to pray for them — trusting that those closest to God can join their voices to ours before Him. Discover more saints in the Catholic Shop Saints section.