Every year on August 6, the Catholic Church celebrates St. Dominic's Memorial Day. This man was the founder of one of the most famous monastic orders - the Order of the Preachers or the Dominican Order.
Dominic de Guzmán was born in 1170 into a wealthy and respected Spanish family. His whole family was distinguished by severity in relation to himself and mercy to all those around him. Dominic’s mother and his younger brother were blamed for their deeds.
From birth, Dominic grew up in an atmosphere of love for God. From the age of seven, he studied under the guidance of his uncle priest. He studied theology and liberal arts at school. In 1184, Dominic de Guzmán enters the University of Valencia, where for the first time his public sermons begin to sound not only the words of God, but universal mercy and service to people.
During his studies at the university, in 1191, a terrible famine occurred. Young Dominic gave all his money to the needy, sold all his things and clothes, and even his books, to help out more money for the poor. In that age of value and rarity of manuscripts, it was a real feat. He inspired his action with fellow students and teachers who together were able to raise a huge amount to help the starving.
The life of this saint is filled with many such examples of self-sacrifice and the commission of a large number of other feats. St. Dominic was loved and honored at that time. On the basis of his acts, traditions of celebrating St. Dominic's Day of Remembrance have also developed.
Every year on August 6, a huge number of charity events aimed at supporting the poor are held. In addition, it is customary to distribute their belongings to the poor and needy, as St. Dominic did in 1191. One of the main features of this holiday was the custom to give relatives and friends books, and in the evening, after serving in the church, the whole family must gather for dinner.
The tradition of the Catholic Church for this day is associated with the mandatory reading of the Rosary on the rosary during the service. This tradition is also associated with St. Dominic. According to legend, in 1214, Dominic had the appearance of the Virgin Mary, who handed him the Rosary. This prayer consists of an alternation of the prayers “Our Father”, “Rejoice, Mary” and a short Glorification.
