Feast Day December 29.

Saint Thomas Becket, also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until he was martyred in 1170.

Becket engaged in conflict with Henry II, King of England, over the rights and privileges of the Church culminating in the conflict over the Constitutions of Clarendon, which sought less clerical independence and a weaker connection between the Church and Rome.

After refusing to sign the documents, Henry summoned Becket to appear before a great council at Northampton Castle on 8 October 1164, to answer allegations of contempt of royal authority and malfeasance in the Chancellor’s office. Convicted on the charges, Becket stormed out of the trial and fled to France.

Becket threatened Henry with excommunication but Pope Alexander III favored a more diplomatic approach.

In 1170, Alexander sent delegates to impose a solution to the dispute. At that point, Henry offered a compromise that would allow Thomas to return to England from exile but upon returning Becket excommunicated three bishops for crowning Henry the Young King at York in breach of Canterbury’s privilege of coronation.

After hearing of this, Henry reportedly said, “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?”

Four knights took this as an instruction to assassinate Becket and rode to Canterbury. The knights demanded that Becket go to Winchester but Becket refused. The knights retrieved their weapons from outside. While they did several monks tried to bolt the doors shut for protection but Becket said, “It is not right to make a fortress out of the house of prayer!”

The knights returned with swords drawn and Becket reported said, “For the name of Jesus and the protection of the church I am ready to embrace death.”