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It is stated that The Imitation of Christ is the most influential Catholic devotional book outside of the Bible. The book has been read by many different saints, such as St. Ignatius Loyola, St. Thomas More, St. Teresa of Avila and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
Furthermore, the book has also been read by such historical figures as John Newton, Vincent Van Gogh, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Oscar Wilde.
Even though the book has been extremely influential and is considered to contain a wealth of spiritual lessons, the author, Thomas à Kempis, has never been canonized a saint,
Why is that?
A holy life
Born in Germany, Kempis, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "sought admission among the Canons Regular of Windesheim at Mount St. Agnes, near Zwolle, of which monastery his brother John was then prior."
He was ordained a priest in 1413 and elected as subprior in 1429. It was during this time that he instructed novices and did much work as a copyist.
He also compiled The Imitation of Christ, which originally contained various instructions for his novices.
Kempis lived a long a holy life, dying at the age of 90 in 1471.
Questions surrounding his death
Various sources claim that a cause for his canonization was started, but that Church officials had questions about his death.
UCatholic provides the following narrative, "Thomas’s path to sainthood was unexpectedly derailed when his body was exhumed 200 years after his death. According to tradition, scratch marks were discovered on the inside of his coffin, along with splinters under his fingernails — suggesting he may have been buried alive. The Church reportedly hesitated, reasoning that no saint would fight death so desperately rather than embrace it willingly, and his cause for canonization was eventually abandoned."
This piece of information is sometimes labeled as a legend with no historical truth behind it.
Potentially the Vatican could re-open his cause and a full investigation could be conducted to find the truth of the matter.
If that never happens, the only way we will know is when (hopefully) we reach Heaven and can see Kempis ourselves.
He may never be an "official" saint on earth, but God knows him and knew the great work that he did during his life. That certainly will not go unnoticed.
