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FEW SAINT IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE WERE CONSIDERED MORE POWERFUL THAN ST.THOMAS-a-BECKET, MARTYRED CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL IN 1117AD. THE SEED OF THE TRAGEDY WERE SOWNED IN FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE YOUNG AND THE FUTURE KING HENRY 11. WHEN HENRY APPOINTED THOMAS AS ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, HE EXPECTED HIS FRIEND TO DEFINED, TO OBEY HIM UNQUESTIONABLY.

HOWEVER, THOMAS STOOD UP FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF FRANCE AND STAYED IN EXILE FOR SIX YEARS RETURNING ON DECEMBER 2, 1170 TO SPEND CHRISTMAS AT CANTERBURY. HOWEVER, THE CONFLICT WITH HENRY CONTINUED, SOME VIOLENT WORDS OF HENRY; WHO WILL RID ME OFF THIS TURBULENT PRIEST? WERE TAKING LITERALLY BY FOUR LEADING KNIGHTS OF THE COURT WHO PROCEEDED SWIFTLY TO CANTERBURY.

AT TWILIGHT ON DECEMBER 29, IN FRONT OF OVER 60 PEOPLE IN THE CATHEDRAL THEY CUT HIM DOWN WITH THEIR SWORDS. HIS TOMB BECAME A GOAL OF MUCH PILGRIMAGE AND POPE ALEXANDER 111 CANONIZED HIM IN 1773. HENRY WAS SO APPALLED WHEN HE HEARD OF THOMAS MURDER, AND APART FROM ASKING THE POPE FOR FORGIVENESS, HE WENT TO CANTERBURY ON 12TH JULY 1774 TO DO PENANCE. HE STOPPED AT SAINT NICHOLAS HOSPITAL AT HARBLEDOWN ABOUT SIX MILES OUTSIDE CANTERBURY WERE LEPERS WERE TENDERED AT HIS TIME, TO PRAY IN THE CHURCH HE LEFT A GIFT OF 20 SILVERS MARKS TO BE PAID YEARLY OUT OF THE ROYAL DUES FROM CANTERBURY TO SAINT THOMAS HOSPITAL. THE ROYAL DUES FROM CANTERBURY TO ST.THOMAS HOSPITAL AND ALTHOUGH HENRY 111 TRANSFERRED THE CHARGE TO THE CITY AUTHORITIES, THESE MONIES ARE STILL BEING PAID TILL DATE. THE PILGRIMS YOU READ ABOUT IN GEOFFREY CHAUCER’S POEMS, THE CANTERBURY STILL VISIT THE CATHEDRAL. THE CATHEDRAL FOUNDED IN 507AD IS THE MOTHER CHURCH OF THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION.