Thomas Aquinas
Feast: January 28
Saint Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and theologian who lived from 1225 to 1274. His monumental work, the Summa Theologica, remains one of the most influential works in Western philosophy and Catholic theology. He is known as the “Angelic Doctor.”
Patron of:
- Students
- Universities
- Theologians
- Philosophers
Oratio Ante Studium
Creator ineffábilis,
qui de thesáuris sapiéntiae tuae
tres Angelórum hierarchías designásti
et eas super caelum empýreum
miro órdine collocásti
atque univérsi partes elegantíssime distribuísti:
Tu, inquam, qui verus fons lúminis et sapiéntiae díceris
ac superéminens princípium,
infúndere dignéris super intelléctus mei ténebras
tuae rádium claritátis,
dúplicem in qua natus sum
a me remóvens caliginem, peccátum scílicet et ignorántiam.
Da mihi intelléctus acúmen,
memoriae capacitátem,
addiscéndi modum et facilitátem,
interpretándi subtilitátem,
loquéndi grátiam copiosam.
Ingréssum ínstruas, progréssum dírigas,
egréssum compleas.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.
Amen.
Ineffable Creator,
who from the treasures of Your wisdom
have established three hierarchies of angels
and set them above the empyrean heaven
in wonderful order,
and have apportioned the parts of the universe most elegantly:
You who are called the true font of light and wisdom
and the primal origin,
deign to pour upon the darkness of my understanding
the ray of Your brightness,
removing from me the double darkness
in which I was born, namely sin and ignorance.
Give me keenness of understanding,
capacity for remembering,
method and ease in learning,
subtlety in interpreting,
and abundant grace in speaking.
Order my beginning, direct my progress,
and set Your seal upon the finished work.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
— Attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas