St. Thomas Becket is one of the most famous martyrs in the English Church. Like St. Thomas More, he was killed for defending the primacy of the Church in the face of an overstepping king.

Thomas Becket was born in London, in 1118, and educated by Catholic priests. As a young man he was employed in the household of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and went on to study for the priesthood. When he was ordained, he quickly became known for his wisdom and tact and was given increasing responsibilities based on his clear judgement. His advice was sought by many, including the king himself.

When Henry II rose to the crown, Thomas served him as chancellor (just as St. Thomas More did to Henry VIII). The two became very close friends.

Thomas was not known for his simplicity—he traveled with a company of several hundred entertainers, servants, musicians, and noblemen. He even brought with him monkeys and hawks for hunting. He was exceedingly generous in his hospitality to friends of state and to the poor alike.

He fully participated in the affairs of the king—even taking up arms to fight and lead in battle—and was known as a proud and sometimes violent man. Still, he was faithful to prayer, and often took retreats, which helped him weather many temptations to immorality that came with the power of his position.

The Archbishop of Canterbury was the leading bishop in Britain (and remains so in the Church of England). When the archbishop died, King Henry asked Thomas to take the position. Thomas could foresee that Henry would ask him to do things that he could not agree to in good conscience—he knew that the promotion would bring conflict between the two, and others would take advantage of the situation. The king paid no attention to Thomas’ warning, and Thomas was ordained in 1162.

The new position changed Thomas—he took on greater moderation in his food and drink, and increased his discipline in prayer, rising early to read and reflect upon Scripture.

Political conflicts began to arise between Thomas and King Henry. In one instance, Thomas refused to accept a bribery system that was in place; in another, he settled a trial to the king’s displeasure. As these kinds of conflicts increased, Thomas called the bishops of England together in a council to discuss their relationship to the king. Henry saw it as a threat to his authority, and the two became further entrenched in their positions—Henry claiming sovereignty as king, and Thomas supporting the authority of the Church and her rights.

Matters escalated—the king and his allies brought suits against Thomas, fabricating financial misdeeds and overdue back-payments. Lords and nobility fell in line with the king, and Thomas faced a number of political attacks and ended up fleeing to France.

The pope and the king of France were both drawn into this conflict, and negotiations spanned six years. In 1170, a shallow reconciliation was reached, and Thomas returned to England, though he could see that his death was not far off.

Inevitably, Thomas crossed the king once again, and Henry made a statement in a moment of anger that implied more than perhaps he meant, "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest!” Four knights took the hint (rightfully interpreting the king’s intention or not) and set off to confront Thomas.

They found him in his church at Canterbury and demanded his obedience to the king’s commands. When Thomas refused, they left with threats and promised to return with violence. In time, they did and this time with drawn swords, calling for “Where is Thomas Becket, traitor to the king and the kingdom?” Thomas approached them. “Here am I,” he said, “no traitor, but archbishop and priest of God.”

The knights demanded that Thomas submit to the rule of King Henry, but he replied, “I cannot do other than I have done. I am ready to die, but God’s curse be on you if you harm my people.”

The knights tried to carry him outside, but he held firm to a pillar between the altars of Saint Mary and Saint Benedict. They began to push him in an effort to get him to let go of the pillar but he would not. As the force escalated, one of the knights raised his sword, bringing it down on Becket, nearly slicing off the crown of his head. Seeing his own blood, Thomas cried, “Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit!” According to one of the witnesses to the murder, one of the knights then, "put his foot on the neck of the holy priest and precious martyr, and, horrible to say, scattered the brains with the blood over the pavement. 'Let us go, knights', he called out to the others, 'this fellow will not get up again.'"

Thomas Becket did not always live a saintly life—he had a temper due to severe chronic pain and was not always reasonable in his judgments—but he was willing to give up his life rather than violate his conscience and subordinate the Church to the state. People instantly clamored for his canonization because of his martyrdom, and his cause was supported by miracles that were reported at his tomb.

Henry was required to undergo public penance for his role in the affair, and the knights who assassinated Thomas were sentenced to serve in the crusades in the Holy Land for 14 years. Thomas’ relics were honored as one of the Church’s most popular pilgrimage sites until they were destroyed by king Henry VIII.

St. Thomas Becket, who gave up your life rather than oppose your conscience and defended the Church to the last—pray for us!

Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Thomas Becket is in the public domain. Last accessed November 21, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.