St Thomas of Tolentino

Saint Thomas of Tolentino
Priest and Martyr
Born	c. 1255 Tolentino, Ancona, Papal States
Died	1321 Thane, Delhi Sultanate
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	Pre-congregation; confirmed 1809 and 1894
Feast	April 9

Thomas of Tolentino (Italian: Tommaso di or da Tolentino; c. 1255 – 8 April 1321) was a medieval Franciscan missionary who was martyred with his three companions in Thane, India, for blaspheming Muhammad. His relics were removed to Quanzhou, China, and Tolentino, Italy, by Odoric of Pordenone. He is now venerated as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, with his feast day on April 9.

Thomas was born in Tolentino in the March of Ancona within the Papal States around 1250 to 1260. Becoming a Franciscan early in life, he developed a reputation for his strict adherence to its rule, particularly concerning his vow of poverty. A fellow of St Nicholas of Tolentino and one of Angelo da Clareno's Spiritual Franciscans, Thomas was jailed twice for his excessive condemnation of luxury.