Review: The Passion and Miracles of St Thomas Becket

Benedict of Peterborough’s “Passion and Miracles of St Thomas Becket” immerses the reader in a pivotal moment in history, the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket by King Henry II’s knights inside Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170.

Through the eyes of a monk chronicler, we witness the profound beginnings of a spiritual journey as he explores the miraculous cures at Becket’s tomb and the surge of his saintly reputation.

This invaluable text, featuring a vivid account of Becket’s martyrdom and 275 miracles from 1171 to 1173, illustrates the emergence of a revered cult that inspired countless medieval pilgrims to seek solace in Canterbury. The book presents the first full English translation of Benedict’s work from the original Latin, enriched by an introduction that assesses the bond between the Canterbury monks and the archbishop, a thoughtful analysis of the murder narrative, and an exploration of how Benedict meticulously gathered and shaped the stories of miracles.

Accompanied by comprehensive explanatory notes and two appendices with biographical insights and translations of related tales, this translation opens the door for a wider audience to engage with Benedict’s significant narrative for the first time.

To order this book visit www.boydellandbrewer.com

This book is available as Open Access under the Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND.

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Professor Rachel Koopmans is a historian of medieval religion, hagiography, and material culture who specialises in the cult of Thomas Becket and the stained glass of Canterbury Cathedral. She teaches history at York University in Toronto, Canada.