Angelic Warfare Confraternity 1.0.1

The Angelic Warfare devotion, also known as the Cord of St. Thomas, originates from a significant event in the life of St. Thomas. Upon joining the Dominican Order, St. Thomas faced strong opposition from his family, particularly his mother, the Countess Theodora. Although they supported his path to priesthood, their noble lineage tied to prominent royal houses such as France, Sicily, Aragon, and Germany made them desire a politically influential ecclesiastic career for him.

Despite his family's ambitions, St. Thomas remained resolute in his decision to join the less established and politically unswayed Friars of St. Dominic. In an attempt to deter familial interference, St. Thomas sought a change of location from Naples, near his birthplace Aquino, and was sent to Paris for his training.

Strongly opposed to St. Thomas' choice, his mother instructed her knight sons, Landolf and Reginald, to bring him back home by force. En route to Paris, they captured and confined St. Thomas, subjecting him to prolonged attempts at persuasion over several years.

Faced with their unsuccessful efforts to dissuade him through argumentation, St. Thomas' brothers resorted to a deceptive scheme. They employed a woman of disrepute to tempt him into breaking his vow of chastity. Reacting swiftly, St. Thomas drove her out using a burning stick before seeking divine intervention through prayer while on his knees.

Legend has it that during this spiritual crisis, angels appeared and girded St. Thomas with a cord of chastity in a mystical encounter that safeguarded him against future temptations of impurity. This profound moment symbolizes the essence of the Angelic Warfare devotion.

For an extended period following this event, St. Thomas' mother detained him while deploying other family members in attempts at persuasion which included his sisters as debaters. Remarkably persuasive in his responses, St. Thomas managed to convince his sisters who eventually decided to embrace religious life alongside him.

The app features include:

• Audio and Text versions of Chaplet and Prayers
• Enrollment Prayers
• Enrollment form for Confraternity