Biography of st dominic de guzman

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 , 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 5 June , though the brethren had taken up residence there already in Dominic arrived in Bologna on 21 December A convent was established at the Mascarella church by Reginald of Orleans.

Guiraud , pp. According to Guiraud, Dominic abstained from meat, "observed stated fasts and periods of silence", "selected the worst accommodations and the meanest clothes", and "never allowed himself the luxury of a bed". Guiraud also states that Dominic frequently traveled barefoot and that "rain and other discomforts elicited from his lips nothing but praises to God".

Dominic died at the age of fifty-one, according to Guiraud "exhausted with the austerities and labours of his career". He had reached the convent of St Nicholas at Bologna , Italy , "weary and sick with a fever". Guiraud states that Dominic "made the monks lay him on some sacking stretched upon the ground" and that "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".

He died at noon on 6 August His body was moved to a simple sarcophagus in In Dominic's remains were moved to the shrine, made by Nicola Pisano and his workshop for the Church of St. Dominic in Bologna. Dominic is commonly but apocryphally associated with the Inquisition. Historical sources from Dominic's own time period reveal nothing about his involvement in the Inquisition.

Dominic died in , and the office of the Inquisition was not established until in Lombardy and in Languedoc. Canon 27 of the Third Council of the Lateran of stressed the duty of princes to repress heresy and condemned "the Brabantians, Aragonese, Basques, Navarrese, and others who practice such cruelty toward Christians that they respect neither churches nor monasteries, spare neither widows nor orphans, neither age nor sex, but after the manner of pagans, destroy and lay waste everything".

This decreed that bishops were to investigate the presence of heresy within their respective dioceses. Practices and procedures of episcopal inquisitions could vary from one diocese to another, depending on the resources available to individual bishops and their relative interest or disinterest. Saint Dominic participated in the stirring scenes that followed, but always on the side of mercy, wielding the arms of the spirit while others wrought death and desolation with the sword.

This testimony, however, is based upon documents which Touron regards as certainly apocryphal. We find him generally during this period following the Catholic army, reviving religion and reconciling heretics in the cities that had capitulated to, or had been taken by, the victorious de Montfort. It was probably 1 September, , that Saint Dominic first came in contact with Simon de Montfort and formed with him that intimate friendship which was to last till the death of the brave crusader under the walls of Toulouse 25 June, We find him by the side of de Montfort at the siege of Lavaur in , and again in , at the capture of La Penne d'Ajen.

In the latter part of he was at Pamiers labouring, at the invitation of de Montfort, for the restoration of religion and morality. Lastly, just before the battle of Muret, 12 September, , the saint is again found in the council that preceded the battle. During the progress of the conflict, he knelt before the altar in the church of Saint-Jacques, praying for the triumph of the Catholic arms.

So remarkable was the victory of the crusaders at Muret that Simon de Montfort regarded it as altogether miraculous , and piously attributed it to the prayers of Saint Dominic. In gratitude to God for this decisive victory, the crusader erected a chapel in the church of Saint-Jacques, which he dedicated, it is said, to Our Lady of the Rosary.

It would appear, therefore, that the devotion of the Rosary , which tradition says was revealed to Saint Dominic, had come into general use about this time. To this period, too, has been ascribed the foundation of the Inquisition by Saint Dominic, and his appointment as the first Inquisitor. As both these much controverted questions will receive special treatment elsewhere in this work, it will suffice for our present purpose to note that the Inquisition was in operation in , or seven years before the saint took part in the apostolate in Languedoc, and while he was still an obscure canon regular at Osma.

If he was for a certain time identified with the operations of the Inquisition , it was only in the capacity of a theologian passing judgment upon the orthodoxy of the accused. Whatever influence he may have had with the judges of that much maligned institution was always employed on the side of mercy and forbearance, as witness the classic case of Ponce Roger.

In the meantime, the saint's increasing reputation for heroic sanctity , apostolic zeal , and profound learning caused him to be much sought after as a candidate for various bishoprics.

Biography of st dominic de guzman

Three distinct efforts were made to raise him to the episcopate. Lastly, in an effort was made by Garcias de l'Orte himself, who had been transferred from Comminges to Auch , to make him Bishop of Navarre. But Saint Dominic absolutely refused all episcopal honours, saying that he would rather take flight in the night, with nothing but his staff, than accept the episcopate.

From Muret Dominic returned to Carcassonne , where he resumed his preaching with unqualified success. It was not until that he returned to Toulouse. In the meantime the influence of his preaching and the eminent holiness of his life had drawn around him a little band of devoted disciples eager to follow wherever he might lead. Saint Dominic had never for a moment forgotten his purpose, formed eleven years before, of founding a religious order to combat heresy and propagate religious truth.

The time now seemed opportune for the realization of his plan. With the approval of Bishop Foulques of Toulouse , he began the organization of his little band of followers. That Dominic and his companions might possess a fixed source of revenue Foulques made him chaplain of Fanjeaux and in July, , canonically established the community as a religious congregation of his diocese , whose mission was the propagation of true doctrine and good morals , and the extirpation of heresy.

During this same year Pierre Seilan, a wealthy citizen of Toulouse , who had placed himself under the direction of Saint Dominic, put at their disposal his own commodious dwelling. In this way the first convent of the Order of Preachers was founded on 25 April, But they dwelt here only a year when Foulques established them in the church of Saints Romanus.

Though the little community had proved amply the need of its mission and the efficiency of its service to the Church , it was far from satisfying the full purpose of its founder. It was at best but a diocesan congregation, and Saint Dominic had dreamed of a world-order that would carry its apostolate to the ends of the earth. But, unknown to the saint , events were shaping themselves for the realization of his hopes.

In November, , an ecumenical council was to meet at Rome "to deliberate on the improvement of morals , the extinction of heresy , and the strengthening of the faith ". This was identically the mission Saint Dominic had determined on for his order. With the Bishop of Toulouse , he was present at the deliberations of this council. From the very first session it seemed that events conspired to bring his plans to a successful issue.

The council bitterly arraigned the bishops for their neglect of preaching. In canon X they were directed to delegate capable men to preach the word of God to the people. Under these circumstances, it would reasonably appear that Dominic's request for confirmation of an order designed to carry out the mandates of the council would be joyfully granted.

But while the council was anxious that these reforms should be put into effect as speedily as possible, it was at the same time opposed to the institution of any new religious orders, and had legislated to that effect in no uncertain terms. Moreover, preaching had always been looked upon as primarily a function of the episcopate. To bestow this office on an unknown and untried body of simple priests seemed too original and too bold in its conception to appeal to the conservative prelates who influenced the deliberations of the council.

When, therefore, his petition for the approbation of his infant institute was refused, it could not have been wholly unexpected by Saint Dominic. Returning to Languedoc at the close of the council in December, , the founder gathered about him his little band of followers and informed them of the wish of the council that there should be no new rules for religious orders.

Archived from the original on 2 June Retrieved 9 May Retrieved 6 December Przewodnik Katolicki in Polish. Dominic and the Rosary". Archived from the original on 8 June Retrieved 11 July Martyrologium Romanum Piccolo breviario in Italian. Edizioni Studio Domenicano. ISBN The Church of England. Retrieved 27 March Church Publishing, Inc.

Bibliography [ edit ]. External links [ edit ]. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saint Dominic. Wikisource has original works by or about: Saint Dominic. Wikiquote has quotations related to Saint Dominic. Order of Preachers. A list of all the congregations, notable members, priories, churches, and convents of the Order of Preachers Dominicans.

Members of the Dominican Order. Catherine of Siena Dominican Sisters of St. Dominican Churches, Convents, and Monasteries. Paul's Church, Antwerp St. Hyacinth's Church, Warsaw. John's Priory, Kalmar Wettenhausen Abbey. Catherine's Monastery, Tallinn St. Catherine's Priory, Roskilde St. Catherine's Priory, Ribe St. Catharine College St. Mary's Dominican College St.

Catholicism portal. History of Catholic theology. Key figures. He then joined the chapter of the regular canons of Osma, under the priorship of Diego de Acebes. Engaged in a demanding form of life, he left the cloister in or to accompany Diego, already bishop, to Northern Europe on a diplomatic mission. Crossing the region of Toulouse, he discovered the Albigensian heresy, which then ravaged the South of France.

A missionary desire grew in Dominic and he wanted to make Christ known to the pagans. Contact info. Piazza Pietro d'Illiria, 1 Roma Italy info curia. Social network.