Saint Dominic was the son of Felix Guzman and Bl. Joan of Aza, he was born at Calaruega, Spain, studied at the Univ. at Palencia, was probably ordained there while pursuing his studies and was appointed canon at Osma in 1199. There he became prior superior of the chapter, which was noted for its strict adherence to the rule of St. Benedict.

In 1203 he accompanied Bishop Diego de Avezedo of Osma to Languedoc where Dominic preached against the Albigensians (heresy) and helped reform the Cistercians. Dominic founded an institute for women at Prouille in Albigensian territory in 1206 and attached several preaching friars to it. When papal legate Peter of Castelnan was murdered by the Albigensians in 1208, Pope Innocent III launched a crusade against them headed by Count Simon IV of Montfort which was to continue for the next seven years. Dominic followed the army and preached to the heretics but with no great success.

In 1208 in the Church of Prouille, he complained to Our Lady while in pious prayer. She in turn answered him saying,
‘Wonder not that you have obtained so little fruit by your labors, you have spent them on barren soil, not yet watered with the dew of Divine Grace. When GOD willed to renew the face of the earth, He began by sending down on it the fertilizing rain of the Angelic Salutation. Therefore preach my Psalter composed of 150 Angelic Salutations and 15 Our Fathers, and you will obtain an abundant harvest’.

This revelation of the origin of the Rosary was affirmed by Pope Leo XIII, and the tradition that Mary first revealed the Rosary to St. Dominic is supported by 13 Popes. St. Dominic now found great success in this new devotion and brought about the conversion of the Albigensians. Our Blessed Lady made known to St. Dominic, a kind of preaching then unknown; which she said would be one of the most powerful weapons against future errors and in future difficulties.

In 1214 Simon gave him a castle at Casseneuil and Dominic with six followers founded an order devoted to the conversion of the Albigensians; the order was canonically approved by the bishop of Toulouse the following year. He failed to gain approval for his order of preachers at the fourth General Council of the Lateran in 1215 but received Pope Honorius III’s approval in the following year, and the Order of Preachers (the Dominicans) was founded.

Dominic spent the last years of this life organizing the order, traveling all over Italy, Spain and France preaching and attracting new members and establishing new houses. The new order was phenomenally successful in conversion work as it applied Dominic’s concept of harmonizing the intellectual life with popular needs. He convoked the first general council of the order at Bologna in 1220 and died there the following year on August 6, after being forced by illness to return from a preaching tour in Hungary.

Centuries later the Dominican Pope, St. Pius V, called for a rosary crusade to defeat the muslims that were once again invading Christendom. On October 7, 1571, in response to this prayer of the rosary from many people, the Battle of Lepanto was won and the Turks were defeated and turned back.This great victory saved Europe from the Mohammedan peril. God revealed to the Holy Father the news of this great victory before human endeavors could reveal it. That date is now the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary and the Popes have worn this Dominican white as their special cassock ever since to commemerate this Dominican Pope and the power of praying the Rosary.

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18 COMMENTS

  1. the St Dominic, The saint who was given the rosary from The Blessed Virgin Mary. The strongest tool for peace in this world. To bring familys back together and to stop an smell the roses.

  2. Again we must pray the Most Holy Rosary that St Dominic taught us from the Blessed Mother for the conversion of the whole world. Look at what She won for us in the Battle of Lepanto? It can be done in our day too! Thank you Blessed Mother! Thank you St Dominic for your obedience. Come on Pope Benedict, please consecrate Russia so the whole world can be free and peace can reign. All for the Glory of God!

  3. Great Article! We have so many desperate and immediate needs individually and collectively in our homes and world wide. It is time to unite in praying the Rosary giving Our Lady all that she needs to prepare the world for her son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Only in this way can we have our needs met and meet the needs of others. Imagine, all of us being at peace , living with Joy in our hearts and souls all of the time! God be with you all by His loving Grace!

  4. I love the prayer of the Rosary. In fact I am loocking for a painter to finish a fine work I was given by the Holy Spirit while I was in Dominican Republic. I have already two pictures done. I need to sit down with an artist and explain the meaning of each drawing. I believe that the work that was given to me it is to be given to the church for teaching people on how to pray the Rosary. I will no be at peace until I am able to finish what the Lord started. So far people see the work I have done as any other kind of work. but I believe that when I finish this work it is that people will understand why I started this work. It was a desire to bring every one to the knowledge of the prayer of the Rosary. It is the best prayer given to the Catholic Church to bring us to the knowledge of the life of Christ and the love of his mother. God bless you all.

  5. Perhaps we should again begining praying the Rosary for this same cause. Muslims raging war on us, Christians (non-Muslims).

  6. St. Dominic please intercede to Jesus for Peace in the world and in our homes. That the youth and children come back to the faith and the Church. Amen

  7. Saint Dominic, pray for us. May the Lord God Almighty bless Agnes Lucille on her 94th birthday. Protect her 11 children and numerous grandchildren. Let her sacrifices on earth free her husband from Purgatory or be used to free other poor souls on this blessed feastday. Grant sanctifying graces to all Dominicans worldwide. Amen.

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