The Doctor of The Church: Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas' works are studied by candidates to be ordained as priests or deacons. Many of his philosophies were developed and refuted in modern ethics, natural laws, political theories, and metaphysics. His remarks on Sacred Scripture and Aristotle are particularly important to his works.
Born in 1225 and died in 1274, Thomas is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church and those studying for the priesthood consider him the model teacher. He is also honored as a Doctor of the Church, the Church's greatest theologian and philosopher.
As a saint, teacher, theologian, philosopher, and an icon, Aquinas has become quite a symbol for the Catholic Church and its adherents.
The Life of Joan-Of-Arc
Joan of Arc is a French-born heroine born into a peasant family in 1412. She said she received visions from God instructing her to support Charles VII and recover France from English domination.
She claimed that this divine guidance led her as she lead the French army to many significant successes against England during the Hundred Years' War.
Unfortunately, she was captured by the Burgundians, sold out to the English, and put on trial for charges of insubordination and heterodoxy. They didn't like her so much. So she was burned at the stake for heresy, belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious doctrine, in 1431 at the age of 19.
25 years after her execution, Pope Callixtus III pronounced her innocent and declared her a martyr. She was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920. She is one of the patron saints of France.
She is well known and many have depicted her in arts since her death. Filmmakers and composers have been inspired by her and have created works about her. References and cultural depictions of her have persisted in film, theatre, television, video games, music, and performance.
