Entering the world with a burning desire for knowledge, Thomas Aquinas set out on a quest for truth that forced him into captivity. But his thirst for truth never wavered. Known today among many as the most brilliant light of the church, Aquinas was a Catholic priest and a Doctor of the Church. His influence on Western thought as he attempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity is considerable. Aquinas is distinguished for his Eucharistic hymns, which form a part of the Church's liturgy. The Catholic Church honors him as the model teacher for those studying for the priesthood. Coupled with his theological insight and natural reason, Aquinas was deemed one of the greatest philosophers of the Western world. Today, Saint Thomas is often depicted with a writing quill or an open book, proving that the search for knowledge and truth forever lives within his name.