Anselm of Canterbury

St. Anselm (c. 1033-1109) was a medieval philosopher, theologian, and Archbishop of Canterbury. Born in Italy, he joined the Benedictine order and later became the abbot of the Abbey of Bec in Normandy. In 1093, he was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, where he defended the Church's independence from the state and advanced the theological concept of the "ontological argument" for God's existence. Anselm is considered a Doctor of the Church and is known for his influential works on faith and reason. He is the patron saint of philosophers and theologians.