St. Dominic
Oldest image of Saint Dominic by an unknown 14th century artist Priory of the Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna, Italy
Confessor
Born	1170, Calaruega
Died	August 6, 1221, Bologna
Canonized	1234
Major shrine	San Domenico, Bologna
Feast	August 8
Attributes	Chaplet, dog, star
Patronage	Astronomers; astronomy; Dominican Republic; falsely accused people; Santo Domingo Indian Pueblo; scientists
Saints Portal

Saint Dominic (Spanish: Domingo), also known as Dominic of Osma, often called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo de Guzmán Garcés (1170 – August 6, 1221) was the founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers (OP), a Catholic religious order. The Basilica of San Domenico is one of the major churches in Bologna, Italy Caleruega is a small town and Municipality in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon, Spain. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Bologna (boloɲa from Latin Bononia, Bulåggna in Bolognese dialect is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints A shrine, from the Latin scrinium (‘box’ also used as a desk like the French bureau) was originally a container usually made of precious materials used The Basilica of San Domenico is one of the major churches in Bologna, Italy The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Christianity has used symbols from its very beginnings Each Saint has a story and a reason why he or she led an exemplary life The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members The Dominican Republic ( Spanish: República Dominicana;) is a nation located in the Caribbean region and shares the island of Hispaniola with Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. The Order of Preachers ( Latin: Ordo Praedicatorum) after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion usually Dominic is the patron saint of astronomers and the Dominican Republic. The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members Historically Astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky while Astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena The Dominican Republic ( Spanish: República Dominicana;) is a nation located in the Caribbean region and shares the island of Hispaniola with

Life of St. Dominic

Birth and Parentage

Dominic was born in Caleruega, half-way between Osma and Aranda in Old Castile, Spain. Caleruega is a small town and Municipality in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon, Spain. Osma redirects here Distinguish from Ozma. Burgo de Osma-Ciudad de Osma is the Old Castile ( Castilla la Vieja) is a historic region of Spain, which included territory that later corresponded to the provinces of politically Santander (now Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. He was named after Saint Dominic of Silos, the patron saint of hopeful mothers and the Benedictine Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos, a few miles north of Caleruega. Saint Dominic of Silos (Santo Domingo de Silos (1000— December 10, 1073) is a Spanish saint to whom the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in Santo Domingo de Silos Abbey ( Spanish: Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos) is a Benedictine Monastery

In the earliest narrative source, by Jordan of Saxony, Dominic's parents are not named. Blessed Jordan of Saxony (or Gordanus, Giordanus, Jordanus, also known as de Alamaia) (c The story is told that before his birth his mother dreamed that a dog leapt from her womb carrying a torch in its mouth, and "seemed to set the earth on fire". Jordan adds that Dominic was brought up by his parents and a maternal uncle who was an archbishop. ^[1] The failure to name them is not surprising, since Jordan's work is a history of the early years of the Order rather than a biography of Dominic. A biography (from the Greek words bíos (βίος meaning "life" and gráphein (γράφειν meaning "to write" is an account A later source, still of the 13th century, gives the names of Dominic's mother and father as Juana and Felix. Juana de Aza is the name gradually developed in hagiographical tradition for the mother of Saint Dominic. ^[2] Nearly a century after Dominic's birth, a local author asserts that Dominic's father was vir venerabilis et dives in populo suo ("an honoured and wealthy man in his village"). ^[3] The earliest statement that Dominic's father belonged to the family de Guzmán, and that his mother belonged to the Aça or Aza family, occurs in the travel narrative of Pero Tafur, written in 1439 or soon after. Pedro Tafur (or Pero Tafur) (ca 1410—ca 1487 was a Spanish traveler and writer ^[4]

Education and early career

Dominic was educated in the schools of Palencia, afterwards a university, where he devoted six years to the arts and four to theology. Other use Palencia Guatemala. Palencia is a city south of Tierra de Campos, in north-northwest Spain, the capital of The arts is a broad subdivision of Culture, composed of many expressive disciplines. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective In 1191, when Spain was desolated by a terrible famine, Dominic was just finishing his theological studies. A famine is a widespread shortage of food that may apply to any Faunal species which phenomenon is usually accompanied by regional Malnutrition, Starvation He gave away his money and sold his clothes, his furniture and even his precious manuscripts, that he might relieve distress. When his companions expressed astonishment that he should sell his books, Dominic replied: "Would you have me study off these dead skins, when men are dying of hunger?" This utterance belongs to the few of Dominic's sayings that have passed to posterity. In 1194, around twenty-five years old, Dominic became a Praemonstratensian canon,^[5] in the canonry of Osma, following the rule of Saint Augustine. The Norbertines, also known as the Premonstratensians (OPraem and in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons (from the colour of A canon (from the Latin canonicus, itself derived from the Greek κανωνικος 'relating to a rule' is a priest who is a member of certain bodies of the A canon (from the Latin canonicus, itself derived from the Greek κανωνικος 'relating to a rule' is a priest who is a member of certain bodies of the

Saint Dominic saw the need for a new type of organization to address the needs of his time, one that would bring the dedication and systematic education of the older monastic orders to bear on the religious problems of the burgeoning population of cities, but with more organizational flexibility than either monastic orders or the secular clergy.

In 1203 or 1204 he accompanied Diego de Acebo, the bishop of Osma, on a diplomatic mission for Alfonso VIII, king of Castile, in order to secure a bride in Denmark for crown prince Ferdinand. Diego de Acebo was Bishop of Osma (Castile Spain from 1201 to 1207 Alfonso VIII ( 11 November 1155 &ndash 5 October 1214) called the Noble or Él de las Navas, was the King This is a list of counts kings and queens of Castile. It is in part a continuation of the List of Asturian monarchs and the List of Leonese monarchs The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe ^[6] The mission made its way to Denmark via the south of France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

When they crossed the Pyrenees, Dominic and Diego encountered the Cathars. The Pyrenees (Pirineos French: Pyrénées; Catalan: Pirineus; Occitan: Pirenèus; Aragonese: Perinés They found themselves in an atmosphere of heresy. Heresy is an introduced change to some system of belief especially a religion that conflicts with the previously established canon of that belief The country was filled with preachers of strange doctrines, who had become alienated from the Church and had little respect for Dominic, his bishop, or their Roman pontiff. The shocking experiences of this journey inspired in Dominic a desire to aid in the extermination of heresy. He was also deeply impressed by an important and significant observation. Many of these heretical preachers were not ignorant fanatics, but well-trained and cultured men. Entire communities seemed to be possessed by a desire for knowledge and for righteousness. Dominic clearly perceived that only preachers of a high order, capable of advancing reasonable argument, could overthrow the Cathar heresy. Preacher is a term the for someone who preaches Sermons or gives homilies

Travelling up again to Denmark in 1204 or 1205 and finding that the intended bride had died, Diego and Dominic returned by way of Rome and Citeaux. Cîteaux Abbey (French Abbaye de Cîteaux) is a Roman Catholic Abbey located in Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux, south of Dijon, Dominic then stayed a number of years in the south of France working among the Cathars. In late 1206 or early 1207, with the help of bishop Foulques of Toulouse, and thanks to the generosity of Guillaume and Raymonde Claret, Diego and Dominic were able to set up a first monastic community at Prouille near Carcassonne, intended largely as a refuge for women who had previously lived in Cathar religious houses. Folquet de Marselha, alternatively Folquet de Marseille, Foulques de Toulouse, Fulk of Toulouse (c Prouille or Prouilhe, "cradle of the Dominicans" where the first Dominican house a Convent, was founded in late 1206 or early 1207 Soon afterwards Diego, at the pope's insistence, returned to his diocese. Still in 1207, Dominic took part in the last large scale public debate between Cathars and Catholics, at Pamiers. Pamiers is a commune in the Ariège département in southwestern France.

Depiction of a disputation between St. Dominic and the Cathars (Albigensians), in which the books of both were thrown on a fire and St. Dominic's books were miraculously preserved from the flames. Painting by Pedro Berruguete. Pedro Berruguete (c 1450 &ndash 1504 was a Spanish painter his art is regarded as a transitional style between gothic and Renaissance.

Foundation of the Dominicans

In 1208 Dominic encountered the papal legates returning in pomp to Rome, foiled in their attempt to crush the growing sect. A Papal Legate – from the Latin authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the Pope to Foreign nations or to some part of the Catholic In the Sociology of religion a sect is generally a smaller religious or political group that has broken off from a larger group for example from a To them he administered his famous rebuke: "It is not by the display of power and pomp, cavalcades of retainers, and richly-houseled palfreys, or by gorgeous apparel, that the heretics win proselytes; it is by zealous preaching, by apostolic humility, by austerity, by seeming, it is true, but by seeming holiness. A Palfrey is a type of Horse highly valued as a riding horse in the Middle Ages. Proselyte, from the Koine Greek προσήλυτος/proselytos, is used in the Septuagint for "stranger" i Zeal must be met by zeal, humility by humility, false sanctity by real sanctity, preaching falsehood by preaching truth. "

A small group of priests formed around Dominic, but soon left him since the challenge and rigours of a simple lifestyle together with demanding preaching discouraged them. A sermon is an oration by a Prophet or member of the Clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, or religious topic Finally Dominic gathered a number of men who remained faithful to the vision of active witness to the Albigensians as well as a way of preaching which combined intellectual rigour with a popular and approachable style. By departing from accepted church practices and learning from the Albigensians, Dominic laid the ground for what would become a major tenet of the Dominican order over time - to find truth no matter where it may be.

In 1215, Dominic established himself, with six followers, in a house given by Pierre Seila, a rich resident of Toulouse. Toulouse ( pronounced in standard French, and in the local accent ( Occitan: Tolosa, pronounced) is a city in southwest He subjected himself and his companions to the monastic rules of prayer and penance; and meanwhile bishop Foulques gave them written authority to preach throughout the territory of Toulouse. Monasticism (from Greek μοναχός, monachos, derived from Greek monos, alone is the religious practice in which one Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate with a Deity or spirit Penance is repentance of Sins as well as the proper name of the Catholic and Orthodox Christian Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession Thus the scheme of establishing an order of Preaching Friars began to assume definite shape in Dominic's mind. He dreamed of seven stars enlightening the world, which represented himself and his six friends.

The final result of his deliberations was the establishment of his order. In the same year, the year of the Fourth Lateran Council, Dominic and Foulques went to Rome to secure the approval of the pope, Innocent III. The Fourth Council of the Lateran was summoned by Pope Innocent III with his Papal bull of April 19, 1213. Pope Innocent III ( February 22, 1161 &ndash June 16, 1216) born Lotario de' Conti di Segni, was Pope from January Dominic returned to Rome a year later, and was finally granted written authority in December 1216 and January 1217 by the new pope, Honorius III for an order to be named "The Order of Preachers" (Ordo Praedicatorum, or O. Pope Honorius III (1148 &ndash March 18 1227) born Cencio, was Pope from 1216 to 1227 P. , popularly known as the Dominican Order). The Order of Preachers ( Latin: Ordo Praedicatorum) after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is ^[7] This organization has as its motto "to praise, to bless, to preach" (in Latin: Laudare, benedicere, praedicare), taken from the Preface of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Roman Missal. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome.

Dominic's Later life

Dominic now made his headquarters at Rome, although he traveled extensively to maintain contact with his growing brotherhood of monks. It was in the winter of 1216–1217, at the house of Ugolino de' Conti, that he first met William of Montferrat, afterwards a close friend. Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was Pope from March 19, 1227 to August William of Montferrat (in Italian Guglielmo di Monferrato) was probably a member of the family of the Marquesses of Montferrat.

When arriving in Bologna in January 1218, he saw immediately that this university city was most convenient as his center of activity. Soon a convent was established at the Mascarella church by the Blessed Reginald of Orléans. Soon afterwards they had to move to the church of San Nicolò of the Vineyards. Dominic settled in this church and held in this church the first two General Chapters of the order. He died there on 6 August 1221 and was moved into a simple sarcophagus in 1233. The church was later expanded and grew into the Basilica of Saint Dominic, consecrated by Pope Innocent IV in 1251. The Basilica of San Domenico is one of the major churches in Bologna, Italy Pope Innocent IV, born Sinibaldo Fieschi was Pope from June 28, 1243 to December 7, 1254. In 1267 Dominic's remains were moved to the exquisite shrine, made by Nicola Pisano and his workshop, Arnolfo di Cambio and with later additions by Niccolò dell'Arca and the young Michelangelo. Nicola Pisano (also called Niccolò Pisano Nicola de Apulia or Nicola Pisanus c Arnolfo di Cambio (c 1240 &ndash 1300/1310 was an Italian Architect and sculptor. Niccolò dell’Arca (c 1435-1440 &ndash 2 March 1494) was an Italian Early Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni Two biographies were published of him during his lifetime One of them by Giorgio Vasari, proposed that he was the pinnacle of all At the back of this shrine, the head of Dominic is enshrined in a huge, golden reliquary, a masterpiece of the goldsmith Jacopo Roseto da Bologna (1383).

San Domenico Guzman - Fresco in Cantarana - Denise Schenardi, 2007

Throughout his life, Dominic is said to have zealously practiced rigorous self-denial. Cantarana is a Comune (municipality in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 30 km southeast of He wore a hairshirt, and an iron chain around his loins, which he never laid aside, even in sleep. He abstained from meat and observed stated fasts and periods of silence. He selected the worst accommodations and the meanest clothes, and never allowed himself the luxury of a bed. When traveling, he beguiled the journey with spiritual instruction and prayers. As soon as he passed the limits of towns and villages, he took off his shoes, and, however sharp the stones or thorns, he trudged on his way barefooted. Rain and other discomforts elicited from his lips nothing but praises to God.

Death came at the age of fifty-one and found him exhausted with the austerities and labors of his eventful career. He had reached the convent of St Nicholas at Bologna, Italy, weary and sick with a fever. Saint Nicholas (Άγιος Νικόλαος, Agios Nikolaos, "victory of the people" is the common name for Nicholas of Myra, a Christian Saint Bologna (boloɲa from Latin Bononia, Bulåggna in Bolognese dialect is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest He refused the repose of a bed and made the monks lay him on some sacking stretched upon the ground. The brief time that remained to him was spent in exhorting his followers to have charity, to guard their humility, and to make their treasure out of poverty. In Christian Theology charity, or love ( Agapē) means an unlimited loving-kindness toward all others He died at noon on 6 August 1221.

Inquisition

Pedro Burruguete, St Dominic Presiding over an Auto de fe (around 1495^[8]). The phrase auto de fe refers to the ritual of public Penance of condemned heretics and Apostates that took place when the Spanish Inquisition

What part Dominic personally had in the proceedings of the episcopal Medieval Inquisition has been disputed for many centuries. The Medieval Inquisition is a series of Inquisitions ( Roman Catholic Church bodies charged with suppressing Heresy) from around 1184, including the The historical sources from Dominic's own time period tell us nothing about his involvement in the Inquisition. This is all the more striking when we consider that several early Dominicans, including some of Dominic's first followers, did become inquisitors. In fact, the notion that Dominic had been an inquisitor only began in the 14th century through the writings of a famous Dominican inquisitor, Bernard Gui, who tried to paint his Order's founder as a participant in the Institution. Bernard Gui (1261 or 1262 &ndash 30 December 1331) also known as Bernardo Gui or Bernardus Guidonis, was an inquisitor of the

In the 15th century, Dominic would be depicted as presiding at an auto da fé, later offering German Protestant critics of the Catholic Church a convenient publicity weapon against the very Order whose theologically informed preaching had proven to be a formidable opponent in the lands of the Reformation. The phrase auto de fe refers to the ritual of public Penance of condemned heretics and Apostates that took place when the Spanish Inquisition Thus a 14th century invention soon became a part of the Black Legend. The Black Legend ( La Leyenda Negra) is a term coined by Julián Juderías in his 1914 book La leyenda negra y la verdad histórica ( The Black Legend

Rosary

Some histories of the Rosary claim its origin to Saint Dominic through the Blessed Virgin Mary^[9]. The Rosary (from Latin rosarium, meaning "rose garden" or "garland of roses" is a popular traditional Roman Catholic devotion. This ecumenical article is about general Christian views on and veneration of the Virgin Mary Our Lady of the Rosary is the title received by the Marian apparition to Saint Dominic in 1208 in the church of Prouille in which the Virgin Mary gave the Rosary to him. Our Lady of the Rosary (also Our Lady of the Holy Rosary or Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary) is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary in relation to the method A Marian apparition is an event in which the Virgin Mary is believed to have Supernaturally appeared to one or more persons regardless of their religious faith Prouille or Prouilhe, "cradle of the Dominicans" where the first Dominican house a Convent, was founded in late 1206 or early 1207 However, other sources dispute this attribution and suggest that its roots were in the preaching of Alan de Rupe between 1470-1475, and suggest that Saint Dominic had nothing to do with the Rosary^[10]. Alanus de Rupe (also Alan or Alain de la Roche) was a Roman Catholic theologian born about 1428 died at Zwolle in the Netherlands There are sources trying to seek a middle ground to these two views^[11]. Either way, the Rosary has for centuries been at the heart of the Dominican Order. The Order of Preachers ( Latin: Ordo Praedicatorum) after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is Pope Pius XI stated that: "The Rosary of Mary is the principle and foundation on which the very Order of Saint Dominic rests for making perfect the life of its members and obtaining the salvation of others. Pope Pius XI ( Latin: Pius PP XI; Italian: Pio XI; May 31 1857 &ndash February 10 1939) born "^[12].

For centuries, Dominicans have been instrumental in spreading the rosary and emphasizing the Catholic belief in the power of the rosary^[13]. The Order of Preachers ( Latin: Ordo Praedicatorum) after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is Prayer is a central theme in the common Bible of the Abrahamic religions, where various forms of prayer appear the most common forms being petition thanksgiving

Patrick Cardinal Hayes of New York provided his imprimatur in support of the fifteen rosary promises attributed to Saint Dominic and Alan de Rupe^[14]. Patrick Joseph Hayes, later Patrick Cardinal Hayes, ( November 20, 1867 &ndash September 4, 1938) was an American prelate the eighth New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Roman Catholic tradition on the Power of the rosary alleges that through Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan de Rupe the Blessed Virgin Mary Alanus de Rupe (also Alan or Alain de la Roche) was a Roman Catholic theologian born about 1428 died at Zwolle in the Netherlands In this attribution, based on some Catholic beliefs on the power of prayer the Blessed Virgin Mary reportedly made fifteen specific promises regarding the power of the rosary to Christians who pray the rosary ^[15]. Prayer is a central theme in the common Bible of the Abrahamic religions, where various forms of prayer appear the most common forms being petition thanksgiving Prayer is a central theme in the common Bible of the Abrahamic religions, where various forms of prayer appear the most common forms being petition thanksgiving The fifteen rosary promises range from heavenly protection from misfortune to assurance of sanctification, and to meriting a high degree of glory in heaven ^[16]. Roman Catholic tradition on the Power of the rosary alleges that through Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan de Rupe the Blessed Virgin Mary

See also

• Santo Domingo
• Vardapet; traveling preachers of the Armenian Church

References

Bibliography

• Alfred Wesley Wishart. A Short History of Monks and Monasteries. 1900. Project Gutenberg etext
• Guy Bedouelle, 'The Holy Inquisition: Dominic and the Dominicans', an article on the main Dominican website
• "St. Dominic" by John B. Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works An e-text (from " electronic text " sometimes written as etext) is generally any Text-based information that is available in a digitally O'Conner. The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1909. The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language Encyclopedia published by The Encyclopedia
• Simon Tugwell, Early Dominicans, New York: Paulist Press, 1982.
• M. -H. Vicaire, Saint Dominic and his Times, transl. by Kathleen Pond, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Alt Publishing, 1964.
• McGonigle, Thomas and Phyllis Zagano "The Dominican Tradition" (Spirituality in History Series) (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press) 2006.

External links

• ORDO PRAEDICATORUM (OP) - The homepage of Dominicans (Black Friars).
• The website of Czech Dominicans.
• Bishop Foulques's authorization of 1215 (French translation)
• Founder Statue in St Peter's Basilica