Who is St. Dominic?

Born: 1170, Spain

Died: August 6, 1221, Italy

Domingo de Guzmán (St. Dominic) was born in Spain in 1170. There are many legends about his life, but perhaps one of the most popular describes a prophecy given to his mother in a dream before he was born. She dreamt that her unborn child would be extraordinarily blessed, and that he would become famous throughout the world. In her dream, she saw a dog leap from her womb with a torch in its mouth that seemed to set the earth on fire. Subsequently, his parents named him Dominic, a play on the words Domini canis, meaning the Lord's dog in Latin. A dog bearing a torch in its mouth became the symbol for the religious order that he was to found years later in December of 1216.

In addition to preaching, teaching, and praying the Rosary, St. Dominic with the aid and friendship of

Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone (St. Francis of Assisi, formed the

Order of Preachers (the Dominicans) and the Order of Friars Minor.

St. Dominic died in 1221, and was canonized by Pope Gregory IX in 1234. He is the patron of astronomers, the Dominican Republic, and falsely accused people. His feast day is August 8.

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