St. Dominic - August 8

Born about 1175 in Castile (Spain), Dominic hailed from the illustrious Guzman family. First, he was a canon regular at Osma; then he founded the Dominican Order, which was approved in 1216. Alongside the Franciscans, it became the most powerful Order in medieval times, giving the Church illustrious preachers — St. Vincent Ferrer, and contemplatives, Sts. Thomas of Aquinas and Pius V — and contributing immeasurably to maintaining the purity of the faith. Through the example of apostolic poverty and the preaching of the word of God, the Friar Preachers were to lead men to Christ. To St. Dominic is attributed the origin and spread of the holy rosary.

The two contemporaries, Dominic and Francis, effected a tremendous spiritual rejuvenation through their own spiritual personalities and through their religious foundations. Of the two, Dominic was the realist who surpassed the other intellectually and in organizational talent. His spirit of moderation, clarity of thought, and burning zeal for souls have become the heritage of the Dominican Order. Legend has contributed the following rare anecdote as preserved in the Breviary: "During pregnancy, Dominic's mother dreamed she was carrying in her womb a little dog that held a burning torch between its teeth; and when she had given birth, it set the whole world on fire. By this dream, it was made manifest beforehand how Dominic would inflame the nations to the practice of Christian virtue through the brightness of his holy example and the fiery ardor of his preaching." He died at Bologna upon hearing the liturgy's prayer for the dying: "Come, ye saints of God, hasten hither, ye angels!"

St. Dominic Iconography

St. Dominic founded the Order of Preachers (the "Dominicans") initially to preach against Albigensianism in Southern France and Italy. From there the order spread widely, especially in Spain, where it emphasized preaching to Moslems in the reconquered territories. From Spain it also spread to the Americas, again emphasizing preaching and conversion.

Because of the wide reach of the order, images of St. Dominic are very common in Latin countries. Sometimes if it is clear who the figure is the saint's only attributes will be his book, tonsure, and Dominican habit. Otherwise, he will be identified by one or more of these attributes: 

LILIES 

Perhaps the most common attribute is a stalk of lilies, as at right. The lilies refer to the saint's notable chastity.

A DOG WITH A TORCH 

In the Golden Legend St. Dominic's mother while pregnant dreams that she will give birth to a dog who will hold a torch in its mouth and "burn the world." It has been suggested that the dog represents a pun on Dominicanus, the word for a Dominican friar, and Domini canis, "dog of the Lord." At any rate, a dog is often shown at the saint's feet holding a torch in its mouth, as in the second picture at right. 

A STAR ON THE FOREHEAD 

The Legend also relates that when St. Dominic was a baby his godmother saw a star on his forehead during the baptism, so another common attribute is a star either on the forehead or above the head. 

THE ROSARY 

From the 15th century onward St. Dominic was credited with receiving the Rosary from the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. In many images, Mary and the Child dispense two rosaries, one to Dominic and one to St. Catherine of Siena. Tiepolo has a grand ceiling fresco in which Dominic passes on the rosary to the multitudes. At the base of the image, he places the souls in Purgatory, for whom the faithful are especially encouraged to pray the Rosary. Other images of the institution of the Rosary also emphasize the importance of this prayer for the souls in Purgatory. 

OTHER IMAGERY 

Although Dominic's innovation was to found an order dedicated to preaching in the world, the legends still attribute to him the virtues of a contemplative. Thus Fra Angelico painted a fresco of the saint embracing the Cross in the manner of St. Mary Magdalene and Tarchiani's painting mentioned above illustrates the Golden Legend's passage on his nightly penitence. 

The Legend says that after receiving Dominic's request to establish the Order of Preachers the Pope had a dream in which the saint was protecting the church of St. John Lateran from falling down and that the pope thereupon decided to honor Dominic's request. The dream is portrayed in a 15th-century historiated capital in the Metropolitan Museum.