Thomas Becket

Thomas Becket (1118 ? 29 December 1170), later also known as Thomas à Becket, was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his death in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He engaged in conflict with Henry II of England over the rights and privileges of the Church and was assassinated by followers of the king in Canterbury Cathedral. Soon after the death of Thomas Becket, Pope Alexander canonised him and the murdered priest was elevated to sainthood.

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The monks were afraid that Becket's body might be stolen. To prevent this from happening, Becket's marble coffin was placed in the crypt of the cathedral. The monks also built a stone wall in front of the tomb. There were two gaps in the wall where pilgrims could insert their heads and kiss the tomb. In 1220, Becket's bones were moved to a new gold-plated and bejewelled shrine behind the high altar. The shrine was placed on a raised platform supported by pillars. Canterbury, because of its religious history, had always seen a large number of pilgrims. However, after the death of Thomas Becket, the number of pilgrims visiting the town grew rapidly.

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Archbishop of Canterbury: The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior clergyman of the established Church of England and symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The present incumbent is Rowan Williams....

Saint: In general, the term Saint refers to someone who is exceptionally virtuous and holy. It can be applied to both the living and the dead and is an acceptable term in most of the world's popular religions. The Saint is held up by the community as an example of how we all should act, and his or her life...

Martyr: :Apart from the religious meaning, Martyr is also a metal band (see Martyr (band))....

Thomas Becket related Images and Photos (experimental)

St. Thomas a Becket and St. Martin of Tours with Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Arrivabene	Thomas a Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is Assassinated in the Cathedral by Four Knights	Thomas Vanek	Thomas Jones
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Thomas Mitchell	Thomas Jefferson	Thomas Jefferson	Thomas Jefferson