DOMINICANS. An Order founded by Domingo de Guzman (1170-1221), or Dominic, of Calaruega, in Old Castile. In 1194 he was made a canon of the chapter of Osma. Here he helped Bishop Diego of Osma to introduce the rule of St. Austin. In 1204 he accom panied the Bishop to France, where they came into con tact with the Albigenses. Bishop Diego was anxious to try to convert these heretics, and obtained permission from Pope Innocent III. to remain in Languedoc for a time. After his return and death, Dominic continued the work, aided by some earnest sympathisers, but without much success. At length Dominic decided that a new order was needed. He gathered a band of men round him in 1215, and then requested Pope Innocent III. to sanction the foundation of an order. The Pope did not approve of adding to the already existing orders. He declined at first to accede to Dominic's request. At length, however, he was prevailed upon to grant it " on the condition that the brotherhood should adopt the rules of some older, already recognised, order, and organize itself in the simple form of colleges of canons" (Schaff-Herzog). The rule adopted was that of St. Austin, with the addition of statutes of the Praemon stratenslans. The members were to practise per petual silence, to fast almost without intermission, to abstain altogether from meat, except in illness, to wear woollen garments, to accept poverty, etc. Their dress consisted of a black cassock and rochet. This was after wards changed to " a white habit and scapular, with a long black cappa or mantle " (Cath. Diet.). In 121G Pope Honorius III. fully confirmed Dominic's order, giving to it the title Fratres Predicantes or Preaching Brothers. The order soon spread to Spain and France. Visiting Rome, Dominic was appointed lilagister Sacri Palatii, Master of the Sacred Palace in the Pontifical Court, and this office has been held ever since by a Dominican. But he was not yet satisfied with the pro
gress of his work. He felt that a more complete re nunciation of worldly things was needed. Consequently, at a chapter-general held in 1220 " the order renounced the possession of property in any form or shape, and declared for complete poverty, and the daily begging of the means indispensable to the sustenance of life" (Schaff-Herzog). This renunciation had the desired effect. Greater progress was made, and at the chapter general in 1221 as many as sixty monasteries were repre sented. After this the movement spread in every direction. In 1230 two chairs were held by Dominican monks in the University of Paris. The task of teaching, in particular, led to rivalry between the Dominicans and the Franciscans (q.v.), and the " Surama Theologise " of the Dominican Thomas of Aquinum became the cause of endless disputes. " The system of St. Thomas was so vast as to afford scope for the labour of many cora mentators and explicators, and a school hence arose, consisting chiefly of Dominicans, named Thomists. Franciscan theologians, among whom the chief was Duns Scotus, raised objections to portions of the teaching of St. Thomas; the problems of Realism and Nominalism were imported into the controversy; and the contentions of Scotists and Thomists, taken up often by men of in ferior mental calibre, tended at last to make men weary of the scholastic philosophy altogether " (Cath. Diet.). Iu 1425 the prohibition as to the of property was revoked by Pope Martin V. This resulted in numerous bequests. Many churches and monasteries were built, and the Dominicans have enriched the world with some of the best examples of Gothic architecture. See Schaff-Herzog; the Prot. Dict.; the Cdth. Diet.