Today is the feast day of St. Dominic, the Spanish priest who famously fought the Albigensian heresy and founded the Order of Preachers. St. Dominic died on August 6th, 1221.

Regarding St. Dominic, Pope Gregory IX famously said the following: “I knew him as a steadfast follower of the apostolic way of life. There is no doubt that he is in heaven, sharing in the glory of the apostles themselves.” –If only a pope could say this about all of us after we’ve died!

The Rosary’s popularity is largely due to the preaching of St. Dominic! Tradition maintains that Dominic devised the rosary after a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This has been disputed among scholars who maintain that the rosary began before the life of Dominic. Still, many popes have said that Dominic recommended praying the rosary as part of his work in the conversion of heretics such as the Albigensians.

His mother is a Blessed! Bl. Joan of Aza, known for her beauty, had four children. Also, one of Dominic’s older brothers is a Venerable named Anthony who also became a priest. And another of his brothers, Manés, is also a Blessed! It’s said that while Bl. Joan was pregnant with Dominic she had a vision of dog carrying a torch in its mouth. This may be where Dominic and his order got their names, as Domini Canis is Latin for “Dog of the Lord.”

St. Dominic and St. Francis of Assisi were close friends! Tradition maintains that Dominic had a vision wherein he saw God’s anger kindled against our sinful world. But he also saw Mary intercede by showing her Son two men. The first was Dominic and the other was someone that Dominic didn’t recognize. The following day a beggar entered Dominic’s church. Dominic recognized him as the man in his vision. It’s said that he embraced the stranger saying, “You are my companion and must walk with me. If we hold together, no earthly power can withstand us.” That stranger turned out to be St. Francis of Assisi!

St. Dominic is the patron saint of Astronomers!

St. Dominic, ora pro nobis!