Day of the Christian Martyr: 7 notable Christian martyrdoms

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Twitter

Thomas a Becket

A Medieval illustration depicting the assassination of Archbishop Thomas a Becket in Canterbury Cathedral.
A Medieval illustration depicting the assassination of Archbishop Thomas a Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. | (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas a Becket was famous for his rivalry with King Henry II of England over the power relationship between the Catholic Church and the state.

In 1170, three knights loyal to King Henry entered Canterbury Cathedral and murdered the Archbishop, sending shockwaves throughout medieval Christian Europe.

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Less than three years after his murder, Becket was canonized as a saint. He remains a symbol of Christian opposition to tyrannical rule.

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