Thomas a Kempis was born at Kempen, Germany, circa 1380. After joining the monastery of Mount St. Agnes in 1406, he received Holy Orders seven years later, and thereafter busied himself with prolific writing and copying work. His books include the well-known Imitation of Christ, Life of Geert Groote, and Life of Liduina of Schiedam, the latter of which he epitomized. He also possessed an earnest love for the poor and Holy Scripture. Thomas a Kempis died on the twenty-fifth of July, 1471.