Thomas à Kempis

Thomas à Kempis (1380–1471) is the name by which the late medieval Catholic monk Thomas Haemmerlein is commonly known. Considered a member of the mystical Christian tradition, Thomas wrote a number of sermons, letters, hymns, and accounts of the lives of the saints, but is best known for his book The Imitation of Christ, the most widely translated devotional text after the Bible. Born in Kempen, Germany, Thomas attended school at Deventer in Holland and entered the Mount St. Agnes monastery at age 19, where he resided until his death.