St. Thomas Aquinas | Pray for Us
Navy Blue / S
$30.00
Skip to product information
St. Thomas Aquinas | Pray for Us
$30.00
Heavyweight 100% cotton shirt with a relaxed drop-shoulder fit, vintage garment wash, tonal chest embroidery, and a woven SIGNUMX interior neck label.
St. Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225 to 1274), the Angelic Doctor and author of the Summa Theologiae, is honored on January 28 and was named patron of Catholic schools by Pope Leo XIII in 1880.
Quick Facts
| Feast Day | January 28 |
| Life & Canonization | Died March 7, 1274 at Fossanova; canonized July 18, 1323; Doctor of the Church April 15, 1567 |
| Patronage | Catholic schools and universities, students, theologians, and philosophers |
| Symbols | Dominican habit, a sun on his chest, a book, a dove |
The Life of St. Thomas Aquinas
Thomas was born into a noble Italian family who wanted him to become a powerful abbot. When he chose to join the new and humble Dominicans instead, his brothers kidnapped him and kept him at the family castle for about a year. He spent the time praying and studying, and his family finally let him go.
Big, quiet and thoughtful, he was nicknamed "the Dumb Ox" by classmates, until his teacher St. Albert the Great said this ox would one day bellow so loud the whole world would hear. He became one of the greatest thinkers in history, yet he also wrote some of the most tender Eucharistic hymns ever sung, including the Tantum Ergo and Panis Angelicus.
“Cast a beam of Your radiance upon the darkness of my mind.”
From the Prayer Before Study (Creator ineffabilis), attributed to St. Thomas
Shirt Details
- Fabric: Heavyweight 100% cotton
- Fit: Relaxed drop-shoulder
- Details: Chest embroidery, woven SIGNUMX neck label
- Care: Machine wash cold, tumble dry low
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was he called the Dumb Ox?
He was large and quiet, so classmates teased him. St. Albert the Great replied that the ox's bellowing would be heard around the world.
Did his family really lock him up?
Yes. They wanted him to choose a more prestigious path and kept him at home for about a year. He used the time to pray and study.
What hymns did he write?
The Eucharistic hymns Pange Lingua, Tantum Ergo, Adoro Te Devote and Panis Angelicus, still sung at Benediction and Mass.
Is there a funny story about him?
At a royal dinner with King Louis IX, Thomas was lost in thought, then suddenly banged the table and announced he had solved an argument. The king had a secretary write it down.
Is there a prayer before studying?
Yes, his Prayer Before Study asks for "a sharp mind, a retentive memory" and "the grace to express myself." Students pray it before exams.
What is he the patron of?
Students, schools, teachers and Catholic universities.
When is his feast?
January 28.