Saint Dominic

Saint Dominic (August 8, 1170 – August 6, 1221)

Saint Dominic is the Saint of the Day for August 8. 

Saint Dominic was born into a prominent family in Spain in 1170. His parents were members of the Spanish nobility and related to the ruling family. His education was in theology and the arts; he spent six years studying theology and four years studying the arts. Dominic was praised by his professors for his exceptional performance in his classes. However, Dominic felt he had a higher calling and chose to become a priest. In 1194, he joined a Benedictine order, the Canons Regular in Osma, Spain where he became the Prior of the Chapter in 1201.

As part of his ministry, Dominic founded an institution dedicated to preserving the progress that was made against the Albigensian heresy (a branch of the Catharistic belief, which was a heretical movement that had a different, and more extreme belief within Christianity). He also felt that the nobility needed a place to educate their children, and that Catholic women needed a safe place to go to worship, away from the hostile heretics. To that end, Dominic established a convent at Prouille, France in 1206, which became the first Dominican house.

Dominic’s vision was to live ones life with God, study, and prayer in all forms. As he journeyed through France, he shared this vision with other priests he had met as well as others whom he encountered. As he and his fellow priests slowly came together as a community, they decided that they would need a permanent place where they could live and minister to one and all. In 1215, Dominic founded a religious house at Toulouse, thus becoming The Order of Preachers or Dominicans. To this day, the monastery remains as the Notre-Dame-de-Prouille Monastery.

During a trip to Italy in 1221, Dominic fell ill. Upon reaching the convent of Saint Nicholas in Bologna, Italy, it was noted that he appeared exhausted and feverish. His health continued to decline, and at twelve noon on August 6, 1221 Dominic went home to be with God. He was 51 years old at the time. It appeared that his illness and subsequent death was due to exhaustion from his austere lifestyle, his many laborious journeys and his unfailing work.

Dominic was canonized by Pope Gregory IX on July 12, 1234, with his feast day commonly observed on August 8. He is usually depicted in icons with a dog, or lilies, holding a book. He is the Patron Saint of astronomers, astronomy, the falsely accused as well as being the Patron Saint in several cities and countries.

Stained glass | St. Dominic sends out the Friars

Helpful Links:
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-dominic/
https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=178
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Dominic