Martyr
Four gentlemen who had heard the monarch’s angry complaint assumed that it was an order and decided to settle the matter by their own hands. On December 29, 1170, the king’s men, accompanied by a troop of soldiers, appeared in front of Canterbury Cathedral demanding to see the archbishop.
A group of priests tried to protect the saint and forced him to take refuge inside the abbey temple, but Thomas forbade them to close the door, arguing that “a church should not become a castle.” Meanwhile, loudly, the knights accused the archbishop of being a traitor. “Here I am,” said Thomas, “Not a traitor, but a priest of God. I wonder that in such attire they should enter the church of God. What do they want with me?”
One of the knights raised his sword to attack him, but was unable to land the blow as a monk was at his side who protected him with his arm. Then, the four knights charged together and overcame all resistance. They murdered the archbishop on the steps of the sanctuary atrium. The fatal blow would be a sword blow that split Beckett’s skull.