THOMAS OF TOLENTINO, BL.

Martyr; d. April 9, 1321, near Bombay, India. He entered the franciscans in early youth and became renowned for his apostolic vigor. In 1290 he was sent to armenia where he converted many infidels and reconciled many schismatics. Thomas was entrusted with various diplomatic assignments to Europe and was finally summoned by Pope clement v to plan missions into Tartary and China. While making for Ceylon and Cathay, his ship was driven ashore on Salsette Island near Bombay, and here he was captured by Saracens, tortured, and beheaded. Bl. odoric of pordenone discovered his body and took it to Zayton in China. Thomas's head was sent to Tolentino, Italy; in 1894 his cult was confirmed by leo xiii.

Feast: April 9 (in Franciscan Order, September 5).

Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum (Paris 1863–) April 1:51–56. l. wadding, Scriptores Ordinis Minorum, 86 v. (Lyons 1625–54); continuation by j. m. fonseca et al., 25 v. (2d ed. Rome 1731–1886); continuation by a. chiappini (3d ed. Quaracchi-Florence 1931–) 6:676–677. g. pelloso, a. mercati and a. pelzer, Dizionario ecclesiastico, 3 v. (Turin 1954–58) 3:1148. l. oliger. Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (Freiburg 1957–65) 10:133. Bibliotheca hagiographica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis, 2 v. (Brussels 1898–1901; suppl. 1911) 2:8257–68. Analecta Franciscana 3 (Quaracchi-Florence 1897) 474–479, 597–613; 4 (1906) 332–334. m. bihl, "De duabus epistolis fratrum minorum," Archivum Franciscanum historicum 16 (Quaracchi-Florence 1923) 89–103. a. c. moule, "Textus duarum epistolarum fratrum minorum," ibid. 104–112.

[f. d. lazenby]