St. Thomas à Kempis

Thomas à Kempis was a German-Dutch priest, monk, and spiritual writer best known as the author of The Imitation of Christ, one of the most beloved and widely read devotional books in Christian history. Born in Kempen, Germany, he joined the Augustinian Canons Regular at Mount St. Agnes Monastery in the Netherlands, where he lived a quiet and contemplative life dedicated to prayer, study, and copying manuscripts.

Thomas’s writings reflect his deep love for Christ and his emphasis on humility, simplicity, and inner conversion. The Imitation of Christ is a guide to living a Christ-centred life and has inspired countless readers with its wisdom on detachment from worldly concerns and the pursuit of holiness.

Thomas passed away in 1471 and remains a model of monastic devotion and Christian discipleship.