Thomas a Kempis
Thomas à Kempis, C.R.S.A. Born 1380 Kempen, Prince-Archbishopric of Cologne, Holy Roman Empire Died 25 July 1471 Zwolle, Bishopric of Utrecht, Holy Roman Empire Other names Thomas von Kempen Thomas Haemerkken Thomas Hammerlein Thomas Hemerken Thomas Hämerken Ethnicity Dutch Occupation Canon Regular, author, scribe Known for The Imitation of Christ Monument on Mount Saint Agnes in Zwolle "Here lived Thomas van Kempen in the service of the Lord and wrote On the Imitation of Christ, 1406–1471" The reliquary with the relics of Thomas à Kempis Thomas à Kempis on Mount Saint Agnes - (1569) Thomas à Kempis, C.R.S.A. (Thomas van Kempen or Thomas Hemerken or Haemerken, litt. "small hammer"; c. 1380 – 25 July 1471) was a German canon regular of the late medieval period and the most probable author of The Imitation of Christ, which is one of the best known Christian books on devotion. His name means "Thomas of Kempen", his hometown, and in German he is known as Thomas von Kempen. He also is known by various spellings of his family name: Thomas Haemerkken; Thomas Hammerlein; Thomas Hemerken and Thomas Hämerken.