He December 29thHe catholic saints remembered Saint Thomas Becketone of the most symbolic figures of medieval Christianity. Archbishop of Canterbury and martyr, his violent death in a cathedral made him a symbol of the conflict between spiritual authority and the power of the state.
Saint Thomas Becket: Conscience, Power and Martyrdom
Thomas Beckett He was born in London around 1118 and studied law and administration. According to English sources such as Catholic EncyclopediaHe was a man close to the king Henry II of England and held the office of Chancellor of the Kingdom and led a life in harmony with the court and the interests of political power.
His appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury marked a radical change. Based on Italian texts Santi and BeatiBecket led an austere life and vigorously defended the church against state interference, particularly with regard to jurisdiction over the clergy.
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The conflict with the king intensified when Becket refused the calls Clarendon Constitutionswho wanted to subject the church to royal authority. English-language sources indicate that this dispute led him into exile in France for several years, from where he continued to defend ecclesiastical independence.
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After a fragile reconciliation, Becket returned to England in 1170. Shortly afterwards he was murdered by four knights who interpreted the king’s words as a royal order. The crime took place in Canterbury Cathedral and caused immediate shock throughout Christian Europe.
Becket’s death It was quickly interpreted as martyrdom. The miracles attributed to his intercession increased and his tomb became one of the most important pilgrimage centers of the Middle Ages. He was canonized just three years after his murder.
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Saint Thomas Becket is revered as a defender of freedom of conscience and spiritual autonomy. Prayers dedicated to him ask for the courage to maintain ethics in the face of the pressures of power. In English texts he is invoked as an advocate in conflicts of justice and conscience.
In addition to Saint Thomas Becket, the calendar on December 29th commemorates other saints and martyrs of the Christian tradition. The date falls in the octave of Christmas, a liturgical season that combines the birth of Christ with the radical witness of faith of those who followed him to his final episodes.
In the city of Buenos Aires, the memory of Saint Thomas Becket can be recalled Metropolitan Cathedralwhere we reflect in particular on the connection between faith, conscience and public responsibility, values closely linked to the legacy of this martyr Archbishop.
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