The Dominican Order (lat. Ordo fratrum praedicatorum) is Catholic and belongs to one of the fraternities that preach the rejection of material wealth and life for the glory of God. Founded by Domingo de Guzmán, a monk of Spanish descent, in the 13th century. Another name - the Order of Brothers Preachers - was given to him by the Pope.
Order of the Franciscans and Dominicans
The era of the emergence of mendicant orders came at the end of 12 - beginning of 13 century. At that time, the Catholic Church needed dogmas that would lead a constant, implacable struggle against heresies and heretics.
The story about the orders of the Franciscans and Dominicans should begin with the fact that in this era there was a need for priests who would not engage in secular affairs and lead a luxurious life, but, on the contrary, despise the benefits and were able to demonstrate to ordinary people their purity of faith by personal example. Both orders became known for their rigor and categorical denial and renunciation of worldly goods.
The Franciscan Order was created in 1209 by the son of the wealthy Assisi merchant Giovanni Bernardone, who, as a wandering preacher, united his like-minded followers in Italy near the city of Assisi. He received the nickname "Francis" for the use of French words in his sermons.
The founder of the Franciscans opposed the acquisitiveness of representatives of the Catholic Church, the sale of posts and indulgences. Because of this, at one time he was forbidden to preach, but in 1210 he was allowed. The Charter of the Order was based on obedience, chastity, and a miserable existence; it was approved by Pope Innocent III. The monks' traditional clothing has become a spacious brown robe with a hood.
The popularity of the Franciscans is evidenced by data on the widespread use of monasteries: by 1264 there were 8 thousand, and the number of monks reached 200 thousand. By the beginning of the 18th century. The order totaled 1700 monasteries and 25 thousand brothers. The system of theological education was created by the Franciscans; they were actively engaged in missionary work and research.
Both orders - Franciscans and Dominicans - were endowed by the Pope with the functions of inquisitorial activity, which was actively carried out in European countries for many years, using executions and torture. But basically their activity was aimed at missionary and preaching work, the development of education and science.
Life of St. Dominic
The founder of the Order of Dominican Monks was the Spaniard Domingo de Guzman, who was born in 1170 in the Spanish city of Kalerega. His mother was a well-known philanthropist who helped the poor. Father - nobleman Felix de Guzmán, his eldest sons followed his brother and also entered the Order, later 2 nephews followed their example.
Mother of Domingo had a prophetic dream on the eve of the founding of the Order: a dog emerged from her womb, holding a burning torch in her mouth, which was to “light” the whole world, and she saw a star in the forehead of her son.
For training, the boy was sent to his uncle, who served as a parish priest, where he spent 7 years. Already in those years, he showed ascetic inclinations, refused a comfortable night's sleep in bed and preferred to sleep on the floor.
At age 14, he entered the University of Palencia (Kingdom of Leon). These were the years when famine raged in Europe. And the future founder of the order sold his property and books to help alms to the poor. For 6 years he studied philosophy, culture and art, music and singing.
In 1190, Dominic was appointed gunner in Osme, located near Kalleregh, where he continued his theological research. He was ordained a priest and served here for 9 years. All the years he read a lot, living in holiness.
In 1203, he accompanied Bishop Diego on a trip to Languedoc to help organize the king’s wedding. On this trip, Dominic was outraged by the large number of heretics in France and therefore joined his convictions to the Albigensians, where he received the name "Brother of Dominic". The Cistercians moved from city to city, preaching modesty and nobility. In one of the cities, the judges conducted a “test of fire”, trying to destroy manuscripts written by Dominic and his opponents. And miraculously, his texts three times flew untouched from the flame. The same miracle happened in Montreal.
The Albigensians adhered to strict rules, but Dominic surpassed them in his pursuit of sacrifice. He ate mainly dried fish, bread and soup, diluted the wine with water. He wore a tight hair shirt and a chain around the waist, slept very little and only on the floor. Moreover, he was benevolent and showed condescension to other people.
In 1206, after a vision for the feast of St. Magdalene in the town of Pruyl, St. Dominic realized that he had to create a convent here, for which he was able to gather 8 young nuns in the near future. The first Dominican convent was opened on December 27, 1206, Maria Magdalene became their patron.
In 1207, after the death of Bishop Diego, Dominic gathered around him a small group of preachers who joined the monastery in Prüyl. Bishop of Toulouse Folkes and St. Dominic petitioned the Pope to form a new community of preachers.
History of the Order
In 1214, a community of like-minded people gathered around the monk St. Dominic in the southern French city of Toulouse, whose purpose was to preach the Gospel and bring people to God using a personal example. The initial purpose of the foundation was a campaign against the Albigensians. These actions were subsequently extended for 20 years and led to the annihilation of several thousand people declared heretics.
In 1215, St. Dominic in Rome met with Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Order of the Franciscans. They found much in common in the faith and love of God that the Franciscans and Dominicans preached, leading a beggarly and ascetic life. The brothers of both orders carried the word of God to ordinary people, promoted the spread of the Christian faith and opposed heresy.
During the life of Innocent 3rd Dominic, having in his hands a prepared charter of the Order of the Dominicans, he went to Rome for papal confirmation. However, upon arrival, it turned out that Innocent died. And only the next Pope approved the charter of the Dominican Order in January 1216 and took it under his protection. At that time, there were 16 brothers in it.
He initially left Dominik as a theological adviser in the papal palace, which also censored books. In the same year, St. Dominic made a pilgrimage to the great Christian shrines. While in St. Peter's Basilica, he received a vision in which the apostles Peter and Paul handed him a book and ordered him to preach the word of God as the chosen one for this work.
“Sow the seeds of the word of God ...”
When Pope Honorius the 3rd allowed Dominica to return to Toulouse in May 1217, he was reunited with his brothers in the order. Its founder presented the Order of the Dominicans as an opportunity to preach the gospel to the whole world in order to search and join all his new followers.
Before the beginning of the great campaign, all members of the Order gathered in the Church of the Virgin, where St. Dominic stunned all the parishioners with an extraordinary sermon. That is why his image is often painted in the paintings of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The prophecy of the apostles was fully fulfilled: the brothers did not scatter around the world, but increased their number. Quickly enough, the monasteries of the mendicant preachers began to appear in France, Spain and Italy, and then in other countries of medieval Europe.
For members of his order, St. Dominic has always been a role model. He still practiced the mortification of the flesh and scourged himself to blood three times every night: once for his salvation, the second for sinners, the third for departed souls. Other Dominicans also do this. In his prayers, the founder of the order always turned to God, mourning sinners.
Traveling in Italy
By the decision of Dominic, all the brothers were sent to different regions of Europe to expand the activities of the Order: 7 people went to the University of Paris, 2 to Saint-Romain, 4 to Spain. In October 1217, Dominic and his companion went on foot to Rome: they walked barefoot, ate alms, spent the night in the homes of pious inhabitants, telling everyone who was interested about brotherhood and God. As they progressed, they began to join those wishing to join the Dominican Order, the number of followers of which rapidly increased.
After coming to Rome, with the permission of Pope Honorius, the fraternity was given the ancient church of St. Sixtus on the Appian Way along with the buildings. On the donations of believers, the territory of the brotherhood was expanded so that monks could live here. The monastery in San Sisto grew rapidly, and in 1220 it was led by Mother Blanche, and the brothers in the Order moved to the old Basilica of Santa Sabina, which was donated to them by the Pope. Since then, the management of the Order for many centuries was carried out precisely from there. The first General Meeting of the Order of the Dominicans gathered here, the second - took place a year later in Bologna. They decided that all members of the fraternity should abandon their property and live only on alms.
Subsequent years, St. Dominic actively preached his ideas, traveling around Italy, France and Spain. He was involved in the founding of new monasteries and visits to existing ones, actively preaching his views and exposing heretics. In every town and village, he confessed all comers and explained the "Word of God." The nights passed in prayer, and he always slept on the bare floor. Gradually, his health worsened.
last years of life
By this time, the fame and efforts of the preachers of the monastic Order of the Dominicans were very successful: their monasteries appeared in 8 provinces of Europe. In the summer of 1221, on the way between Venice and Bologna, Dominic picked up a strong fever due to hot and humid weather and fell ill. Last days he was in the premises of the St. Nicholas convention among his brothers and like-minded people.
In the last hours of his life, St. Dominic bequeathed to his brothers to believe in God sacredly, to observe the rules of voluntary poverty, giving alms to all the poor. He promised to become useful to the Order after death and to help the cause even more effectively than in life. Dominic expressed a desire to be buried "under the feet" of his brothers. On Friday, August 6, 1221, at 6 p.m. at the age of 51, he died, reaching out to heaven with the words of faith on his lips.
Since then, on this day, believers celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration. After the death of Dominic, a strange event occurred. In 1233, it was decided to transport his relics, after lifting the stone lid of the coffin a gentle sweet aroma spread in the air, which was considered a miracle. A year after this, Dominic was canonized by the church in the Saints, his holiday is celebrated on August 8.
Coat of arms and charter of the Order of Preachers
There are several options for the coat of arms of the Order of the Dominicans: one is black and white, where the motto is located around the cross: “Praise, bless, preach!” (Latin Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare). The other shows a dog carrying a lit torch in its mouth, which symbolizes the dual mission of the order: to bring enlightenment to the world through the preaching of the Divine Truth and protect the faith of the Catholic Church from heresy. Thanks to this, the second unofficial name of the order appeared: “Dogs of the Lord” (lat. Domini Cane).
The Pope approved the charter of the Dominican Order in January 1216 and gave it the second name of the Order of the Preachers. At the head of it was the master’s general, who was elected for life, but later a fixed term was adopted for him. A provincial prior and dormitory for monks was also established in each country. The general meeting was to be held every 3 years.
By 1221, the Dominicans had 70 monasteries, and by 1256 the number of monks in the order reached 7 thousand. Strict rules of pauperism lasted 200 years, and only in 1425 did Pope Martin 5 abolish the rules of the Order of the Preachers on denial of property.
The traditional vestments of Dominican monks: a white tunic, a leather belt with hanging beads, a white drape with a hood, a black cloak was worn on top. After joining the Order, all members are called brothers, taking a vow of poverty. This vow means a complete renunciation of any property, after which the Dominican had to conduct active religious activity in the world, and could only exist on the alms of good people. The brothers ’responsibilities included sermons, confession, and missionary work.
In the era of prosperity in the Dominican Order, there were about 150 thousand members in 45 provinces of Europe and Asia. The main task of the brothers remained missionary work among unbelievers. Much attention was paid to church sermons and theology.
Order of the Dominicans in terms of pedagogy
Since the first hostel of the monks in Toulouse, Dominic has paid great attention to the education of his brothers. The territory had its own library, consisting mainly of books donated by the bishop. All new members of the fraternity began to study at the diocesan school, headed by A. Stavensby, the future archbishop of Canterbury.
At the same time, much attention was paid to the spiritual life of the brothers: theological, theological and linguistic education, contemplation and apostolic activity. Dominic believed that all brothers should receive a bachelor's degree.
Starting from the 13th century, when extensive missionary activity was launched to create monasteries, the Order decided that a teacher should be engaged in teaching in each of them. Thanks to this rule, the brothers were considered the most educated among the monks, drawing knowledge from famous professors and among students.
The Dominican Order from the point of view of pedagogy played a big role, giving education to everyone who wants to join this fraternity. An extensive network of schools at several levels at the monasteries was created, which made it possible to prepare preachers from their ranks independently of universities. There were schools of the "middle level" for the primary and the "higher level" for completing education. The emphasis on learning has become an integral rule of Dominican education. Over time, some professors and scholars joined the Order.
Special schools of the Dominicans were created in many cities in Europe: Cologne, Bologna, Oxford, etc. Starting in 1256, Pope Alexander the 4th allowed representatives of the Franciscan Order to teach at universities. This policy continued with respect to other fraternities. Over time, many Dominicans and Franciscans became teachers and philosophers in educational institutions in Europe, some headed the departments of theology at the largest universities in Paris, Prague and Padua.
In 1232, the Pope transferred the Inquisition to the jurisdiction of the Order of the Dominicans precisely because of the excellent education of its members and wide erudition.
Famous scientists and public figures who have gone through all the levels of training in the Order: Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas, Girolamo Savonarola, Tauler and others. Among the Dominicans there were also famous artists: Fra Angelico (1400-1455) and Fra Bartolomeo (1469-1517), as well as the Spanish inquisitor T. Torquemada, the creator of the work “Hammer of the Witches” J. Sprenger.
Missionary activity
The main goal of the Dominican Order was to preach their ideas and increase the number of followers, founding new monasteries and monasteries. Among the Slavic peoples, the Dominicans appeared under the leadership of Hyacinth Odrovonga, who later headed the Polish province of the Order. The first monasteries of the brothers were founded in Kiev in the 1240s, and then appeared in the Czech Republic and Prussia.
Gradually, the Dominican Order launched missionary activity not only in Europe, but also in Asia and the Far East. After Columbus discovered the New World, Dominican missionaries preached the Good News to the American Indians, protecting them from the actions of the colonialists. The most illustrious of them were Bartolomeo de Las Casas and St. Louis Bertrand.
Female branch of Dominicans
In the literature on the history of the Church, the name “Second Order” is also used for the female branch of the Dominicans. Convents for Dominicans were founded by St. Dominic in the early 13th century. The clothes of the sisters are traditional white with a black cloak, the main occupation is needlework (sewing, embroidery, etc.). Already in 1259, the “Second Order” adopted a strict charter, but later its conditions were softened.
Among the Dominicans, the most famous was Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), who carried out active peacekeeping and political activities, wrote essays. The most famous of them is the Dialogues on the Providence of God.
Dominicans in the 20-21 st.
In the 20th century, a reorganization took place in the ranks of the Order: the Constitution and rules, the liturgical side of life, were revised. The main activity remains missionary work and preaching, their monasteries are located in 40 countries of the world, and Dominican G. Peer received in 1958 the Nobel Prize for humanitarian work carried out among refugees.
According to modern data, the Dominican Order has about 6 thousand male monks and 3700 nuns, as well as 47 provinces and 10 vicariates. After 8 centuries of the brotherhood, its followers, imitating the holy apostles, live in communities, observing the vows of poverty, obedience and chastity.
Enlightening everyone and teaching love and mutual responsibility, the members of the Order preach the gospel in the world and try to resist misconceptions, improving the ability to separate truth and falsehood.