St. Dominic Loricatus
Encyclopedia
Saint Dominic Loricatus — in Italian, San Domenico Loricato — (995–1060) was an Umbria
n saint, born in the Italian
village of Luceolis near Cantiano
(then in Umbria, now in the Marche
). His father, sensing social advancement, paid a bribe to have him ordained a priest when still a child. When he discovered the fact, he resolved on a life of penance and became a hermit in the woods near the abbey of S. Emiliano in Congiuntoli
, then a Benedictine
monk at the monastery of Fonte Avellana
in 1040. Adjective of church Frontale (San Severino Marche
).
Fonte Avellana
was at this time under the influence of Peter Damian
, who promoted penitential self-mortification
. It is through his vigorous embrace of this practice that Dominic Loricatus has become most well known, particularly through a mention by Edward Gibbon
in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
(Vol. V, C. LVIII):
"By a fantastic arithmetic, a year of penance was taxed at three thousand lashes; and such was the skill and patience of a famous hermit, Saint Dominic of the iron Cuirass, that in six days he could discharge an entire century, by a whipping of three hundred thousand stripes. His example was followed by many penitents of both sexes; and, as a vicarious sacrifice was accepted, a sturdy disciplinarian might expiate on his own back the sins of his benefactors."
Saint Dominic is said to have performed these lashes while reciting the psalms
, with 100 lashes for each psalm. 30 psalms (3000 strokes) made penance for one year of sin; the entire psalter redeemed 5 years, while 20 psalters (300,000 strokes) redeemed one hundred years - hence the 'One Hundred Years Penance' St. Dominic is said to have performed in six days, over Lent
.
In calculating these lashes one is left with these numbers: 50,000 lashes per day. Assuming St. Dominic were awake for 20 hours a day, that gives 2500 lashes per hour, which would result in 41 lashes per minute.
He owes his name Loricatus to his bodily mortification
of wearing a coat of chain mail
(Latin: lorica) next to his skin as a hairshirt
. He died at the hermitage of S. Vicino. His feast is celebrated by Catholics on October 14.
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
n saint, born in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
village of Luceolis near Cantiano
Cantiano
Cantiano is a comune in the Province of Pesaro e Urbino in the Italian region Marche, located about 70 km west of Ancona and about 50 km southwest of Pesaro.-External links:*...
(then in Umbria, now in the Marche
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
). His father, sensing social advancement, paid a bribe to have him ordained a priest when still a child. When he discovered the fact, he resolved on a life of penance and became a hermit in the woods near the abbey of S. Emiliano in Congiuntoli
S. Emiliano in Congiuntoli
Sant' Emiliano in Congiuntoli is a medieval abbey, now disused and private property, serving as a farmhouse in the comune of Scheggia e Pascelupo in Umbria, central Italy. The large and almost windowless church is a powerfully austere example of Romanesque architecture.-External links:**...
, then a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monk at the monastery of Fonte Avellana
Fonte Avellana
Fonte Avellana or the Venerable Hermitage of the Holy Cross, is a Roman Catholic hermitage in Serra Sant'Abbondio in the Marche region of Italy. It was once also the name of an order of hermits based at this hermitage....
in 1040. Adjective of church Frontale (San Severino Marche
San Severino Marche
San Severino Marche is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 50 km southwest of Ancona and about 25 km southwest of Macerata.-From prehistory to Roman age:...
).
Fonte Avellana
Fonte Avellana
Fonte Avellana or the Venerable Hermitage of the Holy Cross, is a Roman Catholic hermitage in Serra Sant'Abbondio in the Marche region of Italy. It was once also the name of an order of hermits based at this hermitage....
was at this time under the influence of Peter Damian
Peter Damian
Saint Peter Damian, O.S.B. was a reforming monk in the circle of Pope Gregory VII and a cardinal. In 1823, he was declared a Doctor of the Church...
, who promoted penitential self-mortification
Mortification
Mortification can refer to:*Mortification , theological doctrine*Mortification of the flesh, religious practice of corporal mortification...
. It is through his vigorous embrace of this practice that Dominic Loricatus has become most well known, particularly through a mention by Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon was an English historian and Member of Parliament...
in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is a non-fiction history book written by English historian Edward Gibbon and published in six volumes. Volume I was published in 1776, and went through six printings. Volumes II and III were published in 1781; volumes IV, V, VI in 1788–89...
(Vol. V, C. LVIII):
"By a fantastic arithmetic, a year of penance was taxed at three thousand lashes; and such was the skill and patience of a famous hermit, Saint Dominic of the iron Cuirass, that in six days he could discharge an entire century, by a whipping of three hundred thousand stripes. His example was followed by many penitents of both sexes; and, as a vicarious sacrifice was accepted, a sturdy disciplinarian might expiate on his own back the sins of his benefactors."
Saint Dominic is said to have performed these lashes while reciting the psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
, with 100 lashes for each psalm. 30 psalms (3000 strokes) made penance for one year of sin; the entire psalter redeemed 5 years, while 20 psalters (300,000 strokes) redeemed one hundred years - hence the 'One Hundred Years Penance' St. Dominic is said to have performed in six days, over Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
.
In calculating these lashes one is left with these numbers: 50,000 lashes per day. Assuming St. Dominic were awake for 20 hours a day, that gives 2500 lashes per hour, which would result in 41 lashes per minute.
He owes his name Loricatus to his bodily mortification
Mortification
Mortification can refer to:*Mortification , theological doctrine*Mortification of the flesh, religious practice of corporal mortification...
of wearing a coat of chain mail
Chain Mail
"Chain Mail" is a single by Mancunian band James, released in March 1986 by Sire Records, the first after the band defected from Factory Records. The record was released in two different versions, as 7" single and 12" EP, with different artworks by John Carroll and, confusingly, under different...
(Latin: lorica) next to his skin as a hairshirt
Hairshirt
A hairshirt is a cilice, an uncomfortable shirt worn by some Catholics and, earlier, by Jews as a sign of penance. This may also refer to:*Hairshirt , a 1998 motion picture starring Dean Paras, Chris Hogan, Evan Glenn and Neve Campbell...
. He died at the hermitage of S. Vicino. His feast is celebrated by Catholics on October 14.