Seventh centenary of St Thomas Aquinas canonisation
Tomorrow, the Dominican community of Valletta will be commemorating the seventh centenary of the canonisation of Thomas Aquinas at St Dominic parish.
Holy Eucharist adoration will be held at 5.45pm, followed by sung Mass by parish priest Michael Camilleri OP, with the participation of the members of the Archconfraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, at 6.15pm.
Thomas Aquinas was canonised by Pope John XXII on July 18, 1323. A renowned mediaeval philosopher and theologian, Aquinas contributed immensely in both fields.
The Church rightly recognised his unparalleled contribution by conferring on him the title of Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius V as well as declaring him the patron saint of all Catholic universities, academies, colleges and schools by Pope Leo XIII in 1880.
The ‘Doctor Angelicus’ impact on Western thought is undoubtedly huge. He was the first eminent philosopher and theologian who seriously distinguished between philosophy and theology.
His best-known works are the Disputed Questions on Truth (1256-1259), the Summa contra Gentiles (1259-1265), and the unfinished but massively influential Summa Theologica, or Summa Theologiae (1265-1274).