Saint Dominic

Saint Dominic For the village in Cornwall, see St Dominic, Cornwall. For Places and churches named after St Dominic, see St Dominic (Disambiguation). Saint Dominic (Spanish: Santo Domingo), also known as Dominic of Osma and Dominic of Caleruega, of- ten called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo Félix de Guzmán (1170 – August 6, 1221), was a Spanish priest and founder of the Dominican Order. Dominic is the patron saint of astronomers. 1 Life 1.1 Birth and parentage Dominic was born in Caleruega,[3] halfway between Osma and Aranda de Duero in Old Castile, Spain. He was named after Saint Dominic of Silos, who is said to be the patron saint of hopeful mothers. The Benedictine abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos lies a few miles north of Caleruega. In the earliest narrative source, by Jordan of Saxony, Do- minic’s parents are not named. The story is told that be- Saint Dominic saw the need for a new type of organization to fore his birth his barren mother made a pilgrimage to Si- address the spiritual needs of the growing cities of the era, one los and dreamed that a dog leapt from her womb carry- that would combine dedication and systematic education, with ing a torch in its mouth, and “seemed to set the earth on more organizational flexibility than either monastic orders or the fire”. This story is likely to have emerged when his order secular clergy. became known, after his name, as the Dominican order, Dominicanus in Latin and a play on words interpreted as 1.2 Education and early career Domini canis: “Dog of the Lord.” Jordan adds that Do- minic was brought up by his parents and a maternal uncle who was an archbishop.[4] He was named in honour of Dominic was educated in the schools of Palencia (they Dominic of Silos. The failure to name his parents is not became a university soon afterwards) where he devoted six years to the arts and four to theology.[8] In 1191, when unusual, since Jordan wrote a history of the Order’s early [9] years, rather than a biography of Dominic. A later source, Spain was desolated by famine, young Dominic gave still of the 13th century, gives their names as Juana and away his money and sold his clothes, furniture and even Felix.[5] Nearly a century after Dominic’s birth, a local precious manuscripts to feed the hungry. Dominic re- author asserted that Dominic’s father was “vir venerabilis portedly told his astonished fellow students: “Would you have me study off these dead skins, when men are dying et dives in populo suo” (“an honoured and wealthy man in [10] his village”).[6] The travel narrative of Pero Tafur, writ- of hunger? extquotedbl In 1194, around age twenty- five, Dominic joined the Canons Regular in the canonry ten circa 1439 (about a pilgrimage to Dominic’s tomb in [11] Italy), states that Dominic’s father belonged to the family of Osma, following the rule of Saint Benedict. de Guzmán, and that his mother belonged to the Aça or In 1203 or 1204 he accompanied Diego de Acebo, the Aza family.[7] Dominic’s mother, Jane of Aza, was beat- Bishop of Osma, on a diplomatic mission for Alfonso ified by Pope Leo XII in 1828.[3] VIII, King of Castile, namely to secure a bride in 1 2 1 LIFE His chapel at Basilica of San Domenico, Bologna San Domenico Guzman – Fresco in Cantarana – Denise Schenardi, 2007 Christian religious sect with gnostic and dualistic be- liefs, which the Roman Catholic Church deemed hereti- cal. The negotiations ended successfully, but the princess died before leaving for Castile.[3] 1.3 Foundation of the Dominicans In 1215, Dominic established himself, with six followers, in a house given by Peter Seila, a rich resident of Toulouse.[13] He subjected himself and his companions to the monastic rules of prayer and penance; and meanwhile bishop Foulques gave them written authority to preach In this painting depicted the Virgin giving the rosary to Saint Do- throughout the territory of Toulouse.[14] minic. In the scene also appear Fray Pedro de Santa María Ul- loa, Saint Catherine of Siena and Servant of God, Mary of Jesus In the same year, the year of the Fourth Lateran Coun- de León y Delgado. The fresco is located in the Church of Santo cil, Dominic and Foulques went to Rome to secure the Domingo in San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Tenerife, Spain). approval of the Pope, Innocent III. Dominic returned to Rome a year later, and was finally granted written authority in December 1216 and January 1217 by the new Denmark for crown prince Ferdinand.[12] The envoys pope, Honorius III for an order to be named “The Order traveled to Denmark via Aragon and the south of France. of Preachers” (“Ordo Praedicatorum”, or “O.P.,” popu- There, Dominic and Diego encountered the Cathars, a larly known as the Dominican Order). 3 1.4 Later life elicited from his lips nothing but praises to God”.[29] Dominic died at the age of fifty-one, according to Blessed Cecilia Caesarini, who was received by St. Do- Guiraud “exhausted with the austerities and labours of his minic into his new order, in her old age described him career”.[32] He had reached the convent of St Nicholas at as extquotedbl...thin and of middle height. His face was Bologna, Italy, “weary and sick with a fever”.[32] Guiraud handsome and somewhat fair. He had reddish hair and states that Dominic “made the monks lay him on some beard and beautiful eyes. ...His hands were long and fine sacking stretched upon the ground”[32] and that “the brief and his voice pleasingly resonant. He never got bald, time that remained to him was spent in exhorting his fol- though he wore the full tonsure, which was mingled with lowers to have charity, to guard their humility, and to a few grey hairs.[15] make their treasure out of poverty”.[33] He died at noon on 6 August 1221.[25] Although he traveled extensively to maintain contact with his growing brotherhood of friars,[16] Dominic made his headquarters at Rome.[17] In 1219 Pope Honorius III in- vited Saint Dominic and his companions to take up residence at the ancient Roman basilica of Santa Sabina, which they did by early 1220. Before that time the friars had only a temporary residence in Rome at the convent of San Sisto Vecchio which Honorius III had given to Dominic circa 1218 intending it to become a convent for a reformation of nuns at Rome under Dominic’s guidance. The official foundation of the Dominican convent at Santa Sabina with its studium conventuale, the first Dominican studium in Rome, occurred with the legal transfer of property from Pope Honorius III to the Order of Preachers on June 5, 1222 though the brethren had taken up residence there already in 1220.[18] The studium at Santa Sabina was the forerunner of the studium gen- erale at Santa Maria sopra Minerva. The latter would be transformed in the 16th century into the College of Saint Thomas (Latin: Collegium Divi omæ), and then in the 20th century into the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum sited at the convent of Saints Dominic and Sixtus. It was in the winter of 1216–1217, at the house of Ugolino de' Conti that he first met William of Montferrat, Dominican friar, afterwards a close friend.[19] Dominic arrived in Bologna on 21 December 1218.[20] A convent was established at the Mascarella church by the Blessed Reginald of Orléans.[21] Soon afterwards they had to move to the church of San Nicolò of the Vineyards.[22] Dominic settled in this church and held Pedro Berruguete, St Dominic Presiding over an Auto de fe in this church the first two General Chapters of the (around 1495[34]). order.[23][24] He died there on 6 August 1221 and was moved into a simple sarcophagus in 1233.[25][26] In 1267 Dominic’s remains were moved to the shrine, 2 Inquisition made by Nicola Pisano and his workshop.[26] According to Guiraud, Dominic abstained from meat,[27] What part Dominic personally had in the proceed- “observed stated fasts and periods of silence”,[28] “se- ings of the Medieval Inquisition has been disputed for lected the worst accommodations and the meanest centuries.[35] The historical sources from Dominic’s own clothes”, and “never allowed himself the luxury of a time period tell us nothing about his involvement in the bed”.[29][30] “When travelling, he beguiled the journey Inquisition.[36] As one recent historian states: “Was Do- with spiritual instruction and prayers” (also Guiraud).[31] minic the first of the inquisitors? The answer is cate- Guiraud also states that “as soon as Dominic passed the gorically: By no means! Simple chronology suffices to limits of towns and villages, he took off his shoes, and, resolve the problem: Dominic died in 1221, and the of- however sharp the stones or thorns, he trudged on his fice of the Inquisition was not established until 1231 in way barefooted”,[29] and that “rain and other discomforts Lombardy and 1234 in Languedoc.” [37] In fact, several 4 5 REFERENCES early Dominicans did become inquisitors.[38] But later on, 4 See also the difference between Dominic and some of his early followers would be obscured. For example, in the 15th • Arca di San Domenico: shrine containing the re- century, the Spanish Inquisition commissioned the artist mains of Saint Dominic Peter Beruguette to depict Dominic presiding at an auto da fé.

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