Daily Saint

St. Thomas Aquinas wrote hymns about the Eucharist primarily at the request of Pope Urban IV, who wanted to establish a solemn, universal feast day dedicated to the Eucharist to deepen the faithful’s love and belief in the Real Presence of Christ. He wrote eight hymns for liturgical use. St. Thomas’s hymns are poetic expressions of the complex theology he explored in his scholarly works. The beauty and mystery of the hymns inspire profound devotion and reverence for Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. These well-known hymns are still in use today. They include “Praise, Zion, Your Savior” (Lauda Sion Salvatorem), “Sing, My Tongue, the Savior’s Glory” (Pange Lingua Gloriosi), “Therefore So Great a Sacrament” (Tantum Ergo), “At This Sacred Table” (Sacris Solemniis), “Bread of Angels” (Panis Angelicus), “The Word Descending from Above” (Verbum Supernum Prodiens), “O Saving Victim” (O Salutaris Hostia), and “I Devoutly Adore You” (Adoro Te Devote).

According to Catholic tradition, St. Thomas Aquinas is said to have performed many miracles during his life and after his death. One account said a woman was miraculously cured after she touched his garment while he was praying in a crowd. Another story claims he threw water in the air, and it floated in mid-air, defying the laws of gravity. Another story tells that during a storm, he and his companions were saved from a shipwreck when they asked Thomas for help, and a new wind arose, moving them to safety. Witnesses reported his mystical experiences, including seeing him levitate in prayer, and during a vision, Christ is said to have spoken to him. After his death, a man who had been paralyzed for years regained the use of his limbs after visiting St. Thomas’s tomb. It was recorded that a sweet odor of roses filled the chapel and monastery after his death, and a blind sub-prior was healed after touching his body. People visiting his tomb reported receiving visions and healings.