Bishop and Martyr · Remembered on December 29
St. Thomas Becket
St. Thomas Becket is remembered on December 29 in Bless’s calendar of saints. Traditionally invoked as patron of the clergy. Below: a short life and 1 sourced quotation in their own words.
| Remembered on | December 29 |
|---|---|
| Title | Bishop and Martyr |
| Died | c. 1170 |
| Patron of | the clergy |
| In their own words | 1 sourced quotation |
| Next on Bless’s Today screen | None left in the published calendar (through December 31, 2028) |
Life
Henry II’s brilliant chancellor and hunting companion, made archbishop of Canterbury by his king to bring the Church to heel — who instead resigned the chancellorship, took to hair shirts and the daily washing of beggars’ feet, and defended the Church’s liberties inch by inch.
After six years’ exile and a false peace, four knights took the king’s raging words as warrant and cut him down at vespers in his own cathedral. ‘For the name of Jesus and the protection of the Church,’ he said, ‘I am ready to embrace death.’ Europe was electrified; Canterbury became a pilgrim shrine overnight.
Patron of
Tradition invokes St. Thomas Becket as patron of the clergy.
Patronages are traditional, not an official list. All patron saints in Bless, A to Z.
In their own words
Each quotation names the work it comes from. Bless quotes these in the comments beside the verses listed under In Scripture.
For the name of Jesus and the protection of the Church, I am ready to embrace death.
In Scripture
In Bless, St. Thomas Becket’s words appear in the comments beside these verses. This page’s labels say how each is linked: “on this verse” means the saint wrote about that very verse; “on this theme” means the quotation shares its theme. Scripture is quoted from the Catholic Public Domain Version.
On this theme
I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd gives his life for his sheep.
John 10:11 · CPDV Beside their words: “For the name of Jesus and the protection of the Church, I am ready to embrace death.”
In the calendar
The upcoming dates, through December 31, 2028, when Bless’s Today screen shows St. Thomas Becket. Where the US calendar keeps another celebration that day, it is named instead and no rank is given.
Readings
No dates are left in Bless’s published calendar, which runs through December 31, 2028. St. Thomas Becket keeps December 29 in Bless’s calendar of saints: see the saints of December.
All the saints of December Born on December 29? A saint for every day
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