Aquinists

Aquinists was a catchall term used to describe members of Monastic Order of Saint Thomas Aquinas and any of their admirers, supporters, and dirty-work-doers. Coming to prominence in the early 15th century AH/late 20th century AD, the Order venerated Saint Thomas Aquinas to a degree that stopped just short of deification.

The Aquinists shared St. Thomas Aquinas' conviction that scientific inquiry eroded faith and belief in God's omnipotence, and so eroded religion as a whole. Thus, the Aquinists sought to impose Aquinas' rejection of science and modernity on all of Europe, and drive out Muslim influence.

Aquinas Seminaries

Much of the training of of Aquinists came in the Aquinas Seminaries. There were nineteen large ones in Europe, along with an unknown number of smaller "hole-and-corner" locations in Europe and abroad. Here, students educated in Aquinas' worldview and trained in combat and terrorism.

Corrector

Each seminary was headed by a Corrector. The nineteen official Correctors were collectively some of the most dangerous men in the world. The Correctors were each well-educated, so as to understand their supposed enemies. They were also absolutely dogmatic in their belief that the modern world of Islam was decadent, and that it was God's will that the Aquinists force the world to accept their worldview.

Rome

The first Aquinas Seminary was established in Rome in the mid-20th century. It did not fly the flag of the Grand Duchy of Italy, nor did it fly the Pope's banner. Instead, it flew a flag with a red cross on a black field that proclaimed Deus Vult! ("God Wills It!"), the motto of the Crusades.

The Seminary was as secured as any other government building, with multiple checkpoints at the front entrance. There were further checkpoints leading to the office of the Corrector. Despite their disdain for modernity, the Aquinas Seminary made use of excellent technology, such as an elevator.

In 2018 AD, Father Domenico Pacelli was the Corrector of the Rome Aquinas Seminary prior to the Aquinist uprising. He was arrested on the orders of Lorenzo III, Grand Duke of Italy after Aquinists killed Lorenzo's father, Cosimo III. He was made to walk in the march at Cosimo's funeral as a hostage for his followers' good behavior.

That plan didn't work. When Cosimo's coffin reached the Pantheon, Aquinists who'd mingled with the mourners opened fire with automatic weapons. The Italians guarding Pacelli blamed him and immediately shot him to death. In response to the attack, Lorenzo had the military attack the Rome Aquinas Seminary with helicopter gunships. Soldiers were then forced to clear the building floor by floor, with the Aquinists usually fighting to the death. The military also disarmed two timebombs. However, a third bomb was found in the cellar while Giacomo Badoglio was touring the building with Khalid al-Zarzisi and Dawud ibn Musa. Most of the people in the building got out, but the sapper crew was killed when the bomb went off, collapsing the building.

München

The Aquinas Seminary in München, Kingdom of Bavaria was a prominent seminary. After Pope Marcellus IX issued his bull, De necessitate pacis, the seminary's Corrector, Father Adolphus issued a statement citing Matthew 10:13.

Parma

The Aquinas Seminary in Parma was seized by the Italian Ministry of Information during the Aquinist uprising.