Biographies of the Heroes:

Saint Thomas Aquinas

All text and images are 2007 Christopher Sunami.
(Illustrations by Michael Krone)
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Thomas Aquinas was born in 1225 in the town of Roccasecca, which was then a part of the Kingdom of Naples, and is now a part of the province of Frosinone in Italy. He was the son of a nobleman, and was intended by his family to take over a lucrative post as the head of the local Benedictine monastery. Instead, Aquinas insisted on joining the rival Dominican order of monks, which existed under a vow of poverty. He there studied the works of Plato and Aristotle under the guidance of the great scientist and theologian Albertus Magnus.

At first Aquinas's classmates considered him to be dull and stupid, nicknaming him the “dumb ox” because he was quiet, shy and overweight. Despite this unpromising start he went on to have an influence on the church second only to his predecessor Augustine; and like him was declared both a Saint and a Doctor of the Roman Catholic Church. He is celebrated for his Summa Theologica, a comprehensive and systematic set of answers to difficult theological questions. He died on March 7, 1274, at the Cistercian Abbey of Fossanova, now a part of the province of Rome.

Notable Attributes:

Intellect, Integrity, Comprehension, Authority

Principles:

Refuse Your Adversaries’ Gifts