Painting of Blessed Cecilia -
Bienheureuse Cécile
Moniale dominicaine
(+1290)
Moniale dominicaine au couvent de Saint-Sixte de Bologne.
À Bologne en Émilie, l'an 1290, la bienheureuse Cécile, vierge, qui reçut des
mains de saint Dominique l'habit
des moniales de l'Ordre des Prêcheurs, et fut un témoin très fidèle de sa règle
et de son esprit.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/1295/Bienheureuse-Cecile.html
“Under Mary’s Mantle”, un
chant dominicain à utiliser pour l’absoute
Les sœurs dominicaines de
Sparkill présentent “Under Mary’s Mantle”
Au cours du mois de
novembre, les sœurs dominicaines de Sparkill ont introduit un nouveau chant
dominicain pour l’absoute pendant leurs célébrations funéraires. Composé par
Sœur Margaret Palliser, OP, “Under Mary’s Mantle” s’inspire d’une histoire
rapportée par la bienheureuse Cecilia Cesarini (1203-1290), l’une des premières
moniales dominicaines de Rome qui fut la première prieure du couvent de
moniales dominicaines de Bologne. Alors que la bienheureuse Cecilia avait déjà
plus de 90 ans, Théodore d’Apollonia lui demanda de consigner ses souvenirs de
Dominique et des premiers temps de l’Ordre. Elle nous a donné cette belle
description :
Dominique fut emmené en
esprit devant Dieu et vit Notre Seigneur avec la Sainte Vierge assise à sa
droite. Il semblait à Dominique que Notre Dame portait un manteau d’un bleu
vif, de la couleur du saphir. En regardant autour de lui, Dominique pouvait
voir des religieux de tous les ordres, devant le trône de Dieu, mais aucun du
sien. Il se mit à pleurer amèrement et se tint à l’écart, n’osant pas
s’approcher du Seigneur et de sa Mère.
La Sainte Vierge lui fit alors signe de s’approcher. Il n’osait pas, jusqu’à ce que notre Seigneur lui-même l’appelât. Alors Dominique se jeta devant eux en pleurant amèrement. Notre Seigneur lui dit de se lever et, quand il le fit, Notre Seigneur lui demanda : « Pourquoi pleures-tu ? » Dominique répondit : « Je pleure parce que je vois ici tous les autres ordres mais il n’y a aucun signe du mien. » Le Seigneur lui dit : « Veux-tu voir ton Ordre ? » Dominique répondit : « Oui, Seigneur. » Alors Notre Seigneur, posant sa main sur l’épaule de la Sainte Vierge, dit à Dominique : « J’ai confié ton Ordre à ma Mère. » La Sainte Vierge ouvrit alors le manteau qui la couvrait et l’étendit devant Dominique. Il semblait assez vaste pour couvrir le ciel tout entier et, sous le manteau, il vit une grande multitude de ses frères. Alors, se prosternant, Dominique rendit grâce à Dieu et à la Sainte Vierge.
Selon sœur Margaret, « nous voulions avoir un hymne typiquement dominicain
à chanter à la fin des funérailles de nos sœurs. L’histoire de la vision de
Dominique avec la Mère de Dieu protégeant les membres de son Ordre semblait
être l’image parfaite de l’accueil céleste que nous espérons pour nos sœurs et
associés défunts.”
Extrait du récit des
miracles de saint Dominique par la bienheureuse Cécile (vers 1280)
On trouvera ici l’enregistrement
audio de “Under Mary’s Mantle”, ainsi qu’un formulaire pour demander les
parties instrumentales en PDF (clavier, guitare, flûte et trompette). Les
membres de la Famille dominicaine sont autorisés à utiliser la musique, à la
seule condition que les crédits soient correctement référencés en ce qui
concerne l’auteur-compositeur avec la mention du copyright.
Our Holy Trio: Blesseds
Diana, Cecilia and Amata
Jun 8
When our Sr. Mary Cecilia
received the habit we posted a picture of her along with Sr. Mary Amata and Sr.
Diana. All three are named after the Holy Trio of early Dominican Nuns--Blessed
Cecilia, Bl. Diana and Bl. Amata. You can read something about them in a past
post HERE.
It is from Bl. Cecilia
that we have an accurate portrait of what our Father, St. Dominic looked like.
For centuries the Brethren poo-pooed it as the musings of an old woman but in
1943 at the time of the removal of the casket from the ornate tomb in Bologna,
professors from the University of Bolgna x-rayed the casket and made some
interesting observations regarding St. Dominic's height (5ft. 5 3/4 in.),
build, figure, etc. Wouldn't you know, Bl. Cecilia's memory was QUITE accurate!
Based on these studies a "true effigy" of St. Dominic was created and
this bust is in the sanctuary at the Basilica in Bologna where St. Dominic is
buried.
Here is Bl. Cecilia's
description. The charm of it is not lost eight centuries later.
"This was St
Dominic's appearance. He was of middle height and slender figure, of handsome
and somewhat ruddy countenance, his hair and beard of auburn, and with lustrous
eyes. From out his forehead and between his eye brows a radiant light shone
forth, which drew everyone to revere and love him. He was always joyous and
cheerful, except when moved to compassion at anyone's sorrows. His hands were
beautiful and tapering; his voice was clear, noble, and musical; he was never
bald, but kept his religious tonsure entire, mingled here and there with a few
grey hairs."
(From the
Legend of St. Dominic by Bl. Cecilia Cesarini)
SOURCE : https://www.summitdominicans.org/blog/2010/06/our-holy-trio-blesseds-diana-cecilia-and-amata
CECILIA ROMANA, BL.
Dominican nun; b. Rome, c. 1200; d. Bologna, Italy, 1290. Cecilia Cesarini began her religious life in the monastery of S. Maria in Tempulo, Rome. In 1221 she moved with her community to S. Sisto, a reformed mon astery founded in that year by St. dominic, from whom the group received the Dominican habit and in whose hands they renewed their vows. In 1225 Cecilia and three other S. Sisto nuns were sent to Bologna to the monastery of S. Agnese, newly founded by (Bl.) jordan of saxony and (Bl.) Diana d'Andalo, in order to establish the Do minican life there. Cecilia was prioress of S. Agnese in 1237. Her reminiscences of Dominic, embodying much information about the foundation of S. Sisto, and including the only eyewitness description of Dominic's fea tures, were preserved in writing by another nun c. 1280. Her cultus was confirmed in 1891.
Feast: June 9.
Bibliography: A. M. Walz, ed., "Die Miracula Beati Dominici der Schwester
Cäcilia," in Miscellanea Pio Paschini, Studi distoria ecclesiastica, 2
v. (Rome 1948–49) 1:293–326. H. M. Cormier, La Bienheureuse Diane
d'Andalò et les bienheureuses Cécileet Aimée (Rome 1892). H. Wilms, Geschichte der deutschen Dominikanerinnen (Dülmen 1920) 25–28.
[J. A. Doshner]
New
Catholic Encyclopedia
SOURCE : https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/cecilia-romana-bl
BLESSED CECILIA CESARINI
(1203-1290) — DISCIPLE OF ST. DOMINIC
“Then our Lord…said to
blessed Dominic, ‘I have entrusted your Order to my Mother.’” ~ Bl.
Cecilia
The silence of monastic
life enlarges one’s capacity to listen. Through the faithful living out of
regular observance a nun learns to listen, and becomes finely attuned to the
slightest prompting of the Holy Spirit. Cecilia, of the ancient Roman Cesarini
family, was an eager listener, quick to recognize the promptings of the Holy
Spirit in her life. Her listening heart led her to meditate long and deeply on
all she had seen and heard of our holy father Dominic. Monastic life in early
13th century Rome was quite lax, and it was the desire of Pope Innocent III to
reform the Roman monasteries. However, it was his successor, Pope Honorius III,
with the help of St. Dominic, who worked on the reform. The plan was to gather
all the nuns of Rome into one monastery where their life could be regulated;
the nuns, however, were resistant. Finally, the monastery of Santa Maria in
Tempulo, of which 17 year old Cecilia was a member, agreed to come under the
guidance of St. Dominic and move to the Church of San Sisto – provided that
their icon of the Blessed Virgin would remain in San Sisto with them. (This
icon had been known to return to its former location in other attempts at
moving.)
Three times did the
eager, young Cecilia make profession into the hands of St. Dominic. On arrival
at the new monastery of San Sisto, she was the first to receive the Dominican
habit from his hands, as he stood at the front door to welcome them. Two years
later, in 1223, she was sent with three other nuns to the new monastery of St.
Agnes in Bologna, “to teach them the Order.” She remained in this monastery
until death. In old age, she dictated her memories of St. Dominic, leaving us
not only a physical description of our founder, but also, through relating many
of his miracles, a spiritual portrait of him as well – particularly his deep
trust and confidence in God.
SOURCE : https://opnuns.org/st-dominic/the-nuns/
THE LEGEND OF ST DOMINIC
by Blessed Cecilia Cesarine, O.S.B
This Legend was dictated
by Blessed Cecilia in her old age and is from a very ancient parchment kept in
St Agnes' monastery in Bologna for centuries and now in the public archives.
The Introduction and Epilogue are by Sister Angelica of Bologna.
INTRODUCTION
The miracles here
recorded, which our holy father St Dominic wrought in Rome, were narrated by Sr
Cecilia of Rome, the same whom Pope Honorius, of blessed memory, sent with
three other sisters of St Sixtus' monastery to instruct the nuns of St Agnes'
monastery in Bologna, of the Order of Preachers, in the lifetime of our
venerable father Master Jordan. She, moreover, took the habit from St Dominic's
own hands, and made her profession into his hands three several times, and she
is still living in the flesh in the same convent, endowed with great marks of
sanctity.
CHAPTER I
FIRST OF ALL HOW ST DOMINIC RAISED TO LIFE A WIDOW'S SON FROM THE DEAD
A DEVOUT woman of Roman
birth, Tetta by name, who dwelt in St Saviour's parish, was very much devoted
to St Dominic. She had but one son, and he still a child and dangerously ill.
While St Dominic was one day preaching in St Mark's church in Rome, this woman,
in her eagerness to hear the word of God from his lips, left her sick boy at
home and went to the church where the saint was preaching. On her return after
the sermon she found the child dead. Stricken to the very heart with silent
grief, and putting all her trust in God's power and St Dominic's merits, she
took up her dead son in her arms and carried him to St Sixtus, where the saint
was then staying with the brethren. Now, whereas the house was being got ready
for the sisters, anyone who chose could walk in, the workmen being still all
about the place, so she walked straight in and found him standing at the door
of the chapter-house, as if waiting on purpose. Seeing him, she laid her son
down at his feet, and then going on her knees entreated him to give her back
her child. Then St Dominic, touched by her great grief, withdrew a short
distance and prayed for a few minutes. After his prayer he rose, and going over
to the boy made the sign of the cross over him, then taking him by the hand he
raised him up alive and well and gave him back sound to his mother, forbidding
her to say a word about it to anyone.
Straightway she went home
with her boy in great glee, and spread the news of what had befallen her
touching the child, so that it came to the ears of the Sovereign Pontiff who
wanted to mention it in a public sermon before all the people, but the true
lover and guardian of humility -- St Dominic -- would not allow it, declaring
that if it were done he would not tarry a day longer in that country, but would
cross the sea to the Saracens. Fearing such a step the Pope forbore to publish
it. But the Lord who had said in his gospel that ' he who humbleth himself
shall be exalted,' and who himself magnifies and exalts his servants
against their own will and desire, so stirred up the piety of the people and
nobles to reverence St Dominic from that time, that they followed him about
everywhere as if he had been an angel from God, and every man deemed himself
happy if he could only touch him, or get a piece of his habit for a relic. They
kept cutting his cloak and capuce so that his habit hardly stretched to his
knees. When the brethren forbade the people to meddle with his garments, the
holy father was touched at their devotion, and said: 'Let them do what they please,
and give vent to their feelings.' There were present at this great miracle,
Brother Tancred, Brother Otto, Brother Henry, Brother Gregory, Brother Albert,
and many more, who, at a later period, told all these particulars to Sister
Cecilia, who was at that time in St Mary's monastery beyond the Tiber, together
with other nuns.
CHAPTER II
HOW ST DOMINIC RAISED FROM THE DEAD THE NEPHEW OF THE LORD CARDINAL STEPHEN
POPE HONORIUS, of happy
memory, charged St Dominic to gather in one enclosure all the nuns who were
lying scattered all over the city, and then, after he had constructed a
monastery for them at St Sixtus, to make them continue in common life. St
Dominic, however, asked the Pope to name other fitting helpers for carrying out
so hard an under taking: accordingly the Pope gave him for helpmates the
Cardinal Ugolino, bishop of Ostia, who became Pope later on, Stephen of
Fossa-Nuova, Cardinal by the title of the Twelve Apostles, and Nicholas,
Cardinal and bishop of Tusculum, and bade them stand by him should he need
their aid. Now when all the other nuns would obey neither the Pope nor St
Dominic in this matter, the abbess of St Mary's across the Tiber, and all her
nuns, with only one exception, offered themselves and their property with all
the revenues of their monastery to St Dominic. Then St Dominic and the three
Cardinals associated with him gave orders that on the first Wednesday in Lent,
after the imposition of ashes, they should all meet at St Sixtus for the said
abbess to resign her office before them and all the nuns, and make over to him
and his companions all rights over the monastery. While St Dominic was sitting
with the three Cardinals, and the said abbess and her nuns were standing by,
lo, a man came in tearing his hair and shouting aloud: 'Alas, alas!' When those
present asked what was amiss, he rejoined: 'The Lord Cardinal Stephen's nephew
has fallen from his horse and is dead.' The young man's name was Napoleon, and
at the news his uncle swooned away in St Dominic's arms. The others held him up
and St Dominic sprinkled him with holy water. Then, leaving him, he went out to
where the dead man lay, horribly crushed and mangled, and bade them carry him
into a house outside the enclosure and shut him up therein. Next he told
Brother Tancred and the others he had brought with him to prepare the altar for
him to say mass. Now there were standing in that place St Dominic and the
Cardinals with their followers, and the abbess with her nuns, for the Cardinals
and St Dominic held her in great reverence for her sanctity. Then St Dominic
said Mass with abundance of tears. On coming to the elevation of the Lord's
Body, holding it uplifted in his hands, as he generally did, St Dominic was
seen to be raised a span from the ground. All who were present witnessed it,
and were lost in wonderment at the sight. When the mass was finished he went
back to the corpse, and with him went the Cardinals and their company, the
abbess and her nuns, and on coming to the body he with his own most holy hands
laid out the crushed and mangled limbs, from the head down to the feet: then he
knelt down and wept much while he prayed by the bier. Thrice he composed the
lacerated head and limbs, praying the while, then he got up and made the sign
of the cross over the body, and standing at the dead man's head, his hands
upraised to heaven, and himself uplifted by divine power above a span from the
ground, he called aloud: 'O young man, Napoleon, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ I bid thee arise!' And instantly, in the sight of all those who had
crowded in to see what marvel would happen, the young man rose up sound and
well, and said to St Dominic: 'Father, give me something to eat.' Then St
Dominic gave him both meat and drink, and restored him to his uncle hale and
happy, and without a trace of his injuries; now he had lain dead from early
morning till nine of the clock. Sister Cecilia narrated this wondrous miracle
just as it is herein set down, for she was present all the while, and saw
everything with her own eyes and heard all with her own ears.
CHAPTER III
HOW BREAD AND WINE WERE SUPPLIED AND MULTIPLIED FROM HEAVEN AT HIS PRAYER
WHEN the brethren were
still at St Sixtus, and numbered one hundred, St Dominic on a certain day told
Brother John of Calabria and Brother Albert of Rome to go and beg alms in the
city. After they had been begging from early morning to three in the afternoon
without obtaining anything, they returned home empty-handed. But as they passed
the church of St Anastasia, a woman met them who had a great devotion for the
Order, and seeing that they had procured no alms she gave them a loaf of bread,
saying: 'I won't have you go home empty-handed.' They took the loaf and were
journeying homewards, when lo, a youth of comely mien and dressed in white
joined them and asked for an alms. They began to excuse themselves by saying
they could not afford to give him anything as they had not enough for
themselves. But as he pleaded yet more urgently they said each to the other:
'What are we to do with only one loaf? let us bestow it on him for the love of
God"; so they gave him the loaf, and directly after he disappeared, nor
could they discover whither he had gone. On their return home our holy father
met them, and knowing all that had passed, by a special revelation of the Holy
Ghost, he said to them, with a beaming face: 'My sons, have you nothing at
all?' But they answered: 'Truly we have nothing, father:' They then rehearsed
what had befallen them, and told him all about the poor man on whom they had
bestowed the loaf. To this he replied: 'It was an angel of God; but the Lord
will feed his servants: let us betake ourselves to prayer.' He went to the
church, and after a short space came out and bade them call together the
community for dinner. Upon this they answered him: 'But, holy father, why do
you wish to bring them here since we have nothing to set before them.' Yet as
he foreknew what would happen, he simply said: 'The Lord will feed his
servants.' Now as they tarried in doing as he bid them, he called Brother Roger
the cellarer and told him to call the brethren to table, as the Lord would
provide for his servants. The tables were at last spread and the cups set in
order, the signal was given and they entered the refectory. When the brethren
were seated our holy father blessed the table, and Brother Henry of Rome began
the reading as is the custom during dinner. But St Dominic joined his hands and
began to pray over the table, and lo, as he had promised by the promptings of
the Holy Ghost, there suddenly appeared, by God's providence, two very handsome
youths in the middle of the refectory, carrying upon their shoulders two clean
linen cloths filled with white loaves. Then, starting with the lowest one on
the right side and the other on the left, they set a whole loaf of rare beauty
before each of the brethren. When they came to St Dominic they in like manner
set a whole loaf before him, and then, bowing their heads, they disappeared,
and to this day no one knows whence they came or whither they went.
Then St Dominic said: 'My
sons, eat the bread which the Lord has sent us.' He then bade the servers pour
out wine for the brethren, but they replied: 'Holy father, we have none.' Then
full of the spirit of prophecy he said to them: 'Go to the cask and give the
brethren the wine to drink which our Lord has sent them.' So they went as he
had bidden them, and found the cask brimful of the best wine, and drawing a
measure they carried it to the brethren. Upon this St Dominic said to them: 'My
brothers, drink the wine which the Lord hath sent us.' They ate and drank as much
as they pleased that day, and the next day, and again a third day. After dinner
then he had all that was left of the bread and wine given to the poor, and
would not suffer any of it to be kept in the house. He did not send them out
for alms during those three days, since the Lord had abundantly provided them
with bread and wine from heaven. After this the holy father made to them a
beautiful sermon, and warned them never to distrust God's providence even in
time of want. Brother Tancred, the prior of the brethren, Brother Odo of Rome,
Brother Henry of the same place, Brother Laurence from England, Brother Gaude,
Brother John of Rome, and many more were present and told this striking miracle
to Sister Cecilia and the other nuns, at the time she was yet staying in St
Mary's monastery beyond the Tiber. They gave the sisters some of the bread and
wine which they preserved for many years as relics. Now the Brother Albert,
whom St Dominic sent out to beg for alms with a companion, was one of the two
whose happy death St Dominic foresaw in Rome. The other was Brother Gregory, a
man of great beauty and perfect grace. Brother Gregory departed first to the
Lord after devoutly receiving the sacraments. Three days later Brother Albert
also received the sacraments very devoutly, and sped from this dark prison to
the heavenly palace.
CHAPTER IV
HOW THE DEVIL APPEARED TO
ST DOMINIC IN THE SHAPE OF AN APE
IT came to pass, when the
brethren were yet staying at St Sixtus, our holy father was one night watching
in prayer, and leaving the church about midnight he sat down to write by
candle-light at the entrance of the dormitory. And lo, the devil appeared before
him in the shape of an ape, and began to dance up and down before him, while he
recited some amusing verses, and kept on grimacing the while St Dominic
motioned for him to bide still, and taking the lighted candle, gave it him to
hold by his side. So he took the candle and stood before St Dominic, still
making grimaces and reciting his ludicrous rhymes. Meanwhile the candle burnt
down and the ape's paws began to be burnt, which made him wriggle about and
howl from pain, just as anyone might dread real fire if he were being burnt in
the eternal flames of hell. Again St Dominic cautioned him to bide quiet. What
need to say more! he stood holding the candle while his entire forefinger was
burnt down to where it joins the hand, while the ape howled and writhed all the
more. Then St Dominic caught up the stick he always carried about with him, and
beat him soundly, then he cried: 'Begone wretch.' The beating sounded like
striking an inflated bladder. Leaping at a bound to the opposite wall the ape
never came back, while the stench of his presence showed beyond doubt who he
really was. St Dominic told this miracle to all the brothers and sisters in
Sister Cecilia's hearing, and she watched him imitating the ape's antics.
CHAPTER V
HOW HE RID A WOMAN OF
SEVEN DEVILS
AFTER the Sisters had
taken up their residence by the church of St Sixtus, the same holy father fixed
the second Sunday in Lent -- which is the Sunday on which the gospel about the
Chananean woman is read -- for a sermon in that church. A great crowd of men
and women met together on the occasion, while St Dominic took his stand by the
grating so that the Sisters could both hear and see him while he preached God's
word with unction. And behold there was present a woman full of devils, who
said that she had seven within her, and who began to disturb his preaching by
shouting aloud: 'Knave and fool, thou hast already robbed me of four persons
who were mine, thou hast robbed me of my own': and she kept on repeating the
word 'knave' over and over again. Now when the folk murmured at her
interrupting the sermon, St Dominic called to her a couple of times: 'Hush!
hold your tongue!' Then the devils answered through her mouth: 'Thou shalt not
turn us out, for she is ours, and we refuse to leave her': whereupon they began
telling, with several voices at a time, how they came to enter into her. As the
confusion only grew worse from her disturbance, St Dominic lifted up his hand
and made the sign of the cross over her, saying:' In the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ I command you to go out of her, and not to torment her any longer.'
Instantly she began to vomit up a quantity of coals, and so much blood that she
lay like a corpse. Then St Dominic had her carried out to a house close by, and
gave orders for her to be cared for until she got well, and he gave her the
name of Amata, or Beloved.
A long while after this,
when Sister Cecilia and her companions came to St Agnes' Convent, in Bologna,
by command of our lord the Pope, this woman called upon them when on her way to
the shrine of St James the Apostle, being quite well and in sound health at the
time, and she conversed with them pleasantly. St Dominic wrought this miracle
in a public sermon by the grille in St Sixtus' church, before Sister Cecilia
and the other sisters, who all saw him standing by the grille, and with great
trepidation listened to him while he commanded the devils to go out from her.
CHAPTER VI
HOW WINE WAS INCREASED, AND AN ANGEL BECAME HIS GUIDE, AND HOW HE FREED A NOVICE FROM TEMPTATION
IT was our holy father's
custom to spend the whole day in gaining souls, either by constant preaching or
in hearing confessions, or in other works of laborious charity. In the evening
time he used to come to the sisters, and give them a conference in his brethren's
presence, and he used to instruct them in the duties of the Order, for they had
no other master but himself. One evening he came somewhat later than usual. The
sisters, after waiting a space for him, finished their prayers and retired to
the dormitory, when lo, suddenly the brethren rang the bell, which was the
signal for summoning the sisters when our holy father came to them. On hearing
it they all hurried to the church, and on opening the grille found him already
seated there among his brethren awaiting them. Then St Dominic addressed these
words to them: 'My daughters, I am come from fishing, and our Lord has sent me
a big fish.' He alluded hereby to Brother Gaude, the only son of Master
Alexander, a wealthy Roman, whom the venerable father had taken into the Order.
After this he gave them a long instruction which filled them with unspeakable
comfort. When it was over he said: 'Daughters, it is good for us to have
something to drink.' So he called Brother Roger the cellarer and told him to
fetch some wine and a cup. When the brother brought what was asked for, St
Dominic bade him fill the cup to the brim, he then blessed it and drank of it
first himself, and then all the brethren present, to the number of twenty-five,
counting clerics and lay-brothers. They all drank as much as they wished while
the cup was in no wise changed, but still continued full. After the brothers
had drunk, St Dominic said: 'I would have all my daughters to drink as well.'
He then called Sister Nubia, and said to her: 'Go to the turn and take the cup,
and let all the sisters drink.' She went with a companion and fetched the cup
which was still brimful, and although full to the very top, not a drop was
spilled. The sisters all drank of it accordingly, first of all the prioress,
then all the rest, and just as much as they pleased, while our holy father kept
encouraging them by saying: 'Drink your fill my daughters.' There were in all
one hundred and four sisters, who drank out of the cup just as much as they
pleased, yet it remained as full as ever, as if the wine had been pouring in
all the time. He then gave orders for the cup to be handed out, and it was
given up quite as full as when it was passed in, but what became of the cup and
its contents is not known at the present day. When this was over, St Dominic
said: 'The Lord wills me to go to Santa Sabina.' Then Brother Tancred, the
prior of the brethren, and Brother Odo, the prior of the sisters, and the rest
of the brethren, the abbess and sisters, all wanted to keep him, saying: 'Holy
father, the hour is late, for it is close on midnight, and it is not right for
you to go away now.' But he would not yield to them. 'The Lord of all wants me
to set out,' said he, 'and he will send his angel with us.' As they could not
keep him he took Brother Tancred and Brother Odo, the priors of the brothers
and sisters, and started off with them. According to his promise, when St
Dominic came to the gate of the church on going out, a very handsome youth was
standing there with a staff in his hand, as if prepared for a journey. Then St
Dominic sent his brethren on after the young man, while he himself walked
behind in the third place. On arriving at the church gate they found it
carefully shut and fastened with bolts. But the youth, who had gone on before
them on the road, drew one half of the door towards himself and at once it
opened before them, and the youth walked in first, then the brethren, and after
them all St Dominic likewise entered. When all were inside, the young man went
out and the door closed just as they found it before. Then Brother Tancred put
this question to St Dominic: 'Holy father, who was that youth who bore us
company?' He made answer: 'Son, it was his angel whom the Lord appointed to
watch over us.' At the signal for matins the brethren came into the choir, and
seeing St Dominic and his companions in the choir among the brethren, they
marvelled how they could have entered through the closed door.
There was a young novice
in that convent named James, a native of Rome, who, being strongly tempted,
resolved to leave the Order directly the church doors were opened after matins.
This being revealed to St Dominic, he was beforehand with him, and sending for
him after matins took him on one side. After speaking kindly to him, he begged
and warned him not to let himself be hoodwinked by the devil's cunning in
quitting such a holy brotherhood in this way, but rather to remain true to
Christ's service. The youth, however, paid no heed to his warnings and
entreaties, but stood up and pulled off the habit, declaring that he had made
up his mind to leave the Order. Then the most holy father, compassionating his
violent temptation, said to him: 'My child, wait a little, and then do as you
have a mind.' At this St Dominic also rose and prostrated himself in prayer,
and it soon appeared how profitable it was in God's sight, and how easy it was
for him to get what he wanted. No sooner had he ended his prayer than suddenly
the temptation passed away, the brother threw himself at his feet in floods of
tears, entreated forgiveness, and begged him to let him have the habit once
more, which in a moment of sore temptation he had thrown off, promising never
more to abandon the Order, Then the venerable father, after a few words,
clothed him again with the habit of the Order, and cautioned him never for the
future to give way to temptation, but to remain ever steadfast in Christ's
service: and by his intercessor's merits he afterwards spent a long and
praiseworthy life in the Order.
Next morning St Dominic
returned to St Sixtus with his companions, and in his presence the brethren
already named told Sister Cecilia and the other sisters all that had befallen
them. St Dominic also vouched for the truth of the entire story as told by his
brethren, and added: 'God's enemy wanted to have one of Christ's lambs, but the
Lord rescued him from out of his hands.'
CHAPTER VII
HOW THE BLESSED VIRGIN APPEARED TO HIM WHILE AT PRAYER, AND SHOWED HIM THE CARE SHE TAKES OF THE ORDER
ONCE when St Dominic was
passing the night in the church in prayer, about midnight he went out and
entered the dormitory. After looking at his brethren he resumed his prayer at
the entrance of the dormitory. While standing erect as he prayed, he chanced to
glance to the other end of the dormitory and saw three very comely ladies
advancing towards him, of whom the central figure seemed to be a lady more
dignified and of higher rank than the . others. One of the two attendants
carried a beautiful and resplendent vessel of holy water, and the other a
sprinkler, which she presented to the third who walked between them. This one
sprinkled the brethren and blessed them, but as she passed along doing so there
was one friar whom she neither blessed nor sprinkled. St Dominic observed this
attentively, and noting whom it was, followed the lady as far as the lamp which
hung in the middle of the dormitory: there he threw himself at her feet and
began earnestly to beg her to say who she was, although he knew very well all
the while. Now at that time the beautiful and devout anthem, the Salve
Regina, was not sung in the convents of our brethren and sisters in Rome,
but merely said kneeling. Then the lady addressed St Dominic and said: 'I am
she whom you greet every evening, and when you say "Turn then our
Advocate," I prostrate myself before my Son for the preservation of this
Order.' St Dominic then enquired who her companions might be, whereunto she
made answer: 'One of them is Cecilia and the other Catherine.' Upon this St
Dominic made further enquiry touching the brother whom she had passed by, and
why she had neither sprinkled nor blest him with the rest: at this she
answered: 'Simply because he was unworthy of it.' Then she resumed sprinkling
and blessing the remaining friars, and went away.
St Dominic returned to
his prayers, and was caught up in spirit from where he was standing to the
throne of God, and there he beheld our Lord, and the Blessed Virgin sitting on
his right hand, whilst she appeared to our holy father to be wearing a mantle
of deep blue colour. As lie gazed round he saw religious men of every Order in
the Church standing in God's presence, but not one of his own family, so he
began to weep bitterly and would not presume to come near our Lord and leis
holy mother. Thereupon she made a sign with her hand for him to draw nigh, but
still he did not dare to do so until our Lord also beckoned to him; then he
came up and threw himself down before them, weeping as if his heart would
break. Then Christ bade him arise, and asked him gently: 'Why weepest thou thus
sorrowfully?' 'I am grieving,' said St Dominic, 'because I see here members of
every religious Order, but of my own not one.' Then our Lord said: 'And would
you see your Order?' To this the saint answered trembling: 'Yes, Lord, of a
surety I would.' Placing his hand lovingly on the Blessed Virgin's shoulder,
Christ replied: 'I have given over your Order to my mother's care.' At this the
Blessed Virgin drew back her mantle, and opening it wide before St Dominic, it
seemed to enclose nearly the whole of that heavenly country, so vast was it,
and beneath it he saw a great host of his brethren. Casting himself down, St
Dominic returned right hearty thanks to Christ and his holy mother; soon the
vision passed away, and once again regaining his natural consciousness he rang
the bell for matins. When the morning office was over he summoned the brethren
to the chapter-house, and there spoke to them with burning words, exhorting
them to love and reverence ever the blessed Virgin, and amongst the rest he
told them of his vision. When the chapter was over he called aside the friar
whom our blessed Lady had neither sprinkled nor blessed, and tried by gentle
speech to discover whether there was not some secret sin which he had not
confessed, for the brother had made a general confession to St Dominic. The
brother made this reply: 'Holy father, I have nothing to reproach myself with
in conscience except this, that on that night I retired to rest without being
dressed according to rule.'
St Dominic recounted this
vision to Sister Cecilia and the other sisters of St Sixtus, yet as if it had
befallen someone else, but the brethren present then, who had heard him relate
it before, gave the sisters to understand that the person was none other than
himself. It was on this account that St Dominic made it a rule that all his
brethren should sleep in tunic and girdle wherever they might be.
CHAPTER VIII
HOW THE DEVIL APPEARED UNDER THE SHAPE OF A LIZARD, AND TRIED TO HINDER HIS PREACHING
ON a time, after saying
Mass, St Dominic went up to the grille and commanded the sisters to assemble by
the water course near the mill, there to hear the word of God. Knowing well
what was about to happen, he warned them thus: 'My daughters, fear not if the
enemy of mankind should try to affright you by appearing in some hideous
shape.' On their side, much did they wonder that he should choose so strange a
place for the sermon. Now as the mill was under repair he entered the enclosure
of the sisters, and some of his brethren with him, and they came to the place
where the sisters were waiting. They all sat down by the water course, and St
Dominic began to preach with much vehemence on the crafty snares of the enemy.
While he was yet speaking, Satan suddenly appeared in the horrible form of a
monstrous lizard, black as night, and with two heads and tails. In this form he
began to run up and down by the side of the water, raising his heads and tails
and then letting them fall in a threatening way, as if about to attack them. St
Dominic, well knowing by the Holy Spirit who it was thus hiding himself under
the form of a huge lizard, fixed his eyes on him, and shaking his head in a
menacing way, cried aloud: 'I know thee, my enemy.' Then turning to the
sisters, he said: 'Fear nothing, he is powerless to hurt you.' But as some of
the sisters were turning to fly away affrighted, he again called aloud: 'Enemy
of mankind, I command thee to cast thyself into the water!' The reptile obeyed
at once, and appeared no more. Sister Cecilia and the rest of the sisters at St
Sixtus' were all present at this miracle, together with several of our
brethren.
CHAPTER IX
HOW ST DOMINIC HEALED
THREE NUNS OF FEVER
ONE day St Dominic
appeared quite unexpectedly at the grille, and calling Sister Constantia, the
portress, enquired how Sister Theodore, Sister Thedrana, and Sister Nympha were
in health. She replied that they were all laid up with fever, and that Sister
Theodora was even in high fever. Upon hearing this, St Dominic said: 'Go and
tell them from me that I bid them have fever no longer.' This was all the more
wonderful, for no one had informed him that those sisters were ailing, but he
knew it by the Spirit of God. The portress accordingly went to deliver the
message, while St Dominic tarried at the grille. She commanded them in his name
to cease from having fever, and instantly they rose up cured, and went through
the convent to the amazement of the rest who witnessed the marvel. The sister
went back to St Dominic and told him of what had happened: without more ado he
simply thanked God, and retired from the grille.
CHAPTER X
HOW THE DEVIL UPSET THE LAMP WITHOUT SPILLING IT, DURING HIS SERMON
AT one time on his return
journey from Spain, St Dominic carried by way of a small present some wooden
spoons, one for each of the sisters. One day, after preaching and other deeds
of charity, he came when it was late to the sisters, and carried the spoons
with him he had brought them from Spain. As they were sitting together behind
the grille, and his brethren were likewise seated beside him, he began to
preach to them once more about the wiles of the enemy, showing how Satan, for
the sake of deceiving souls, trans forms himself not merely into an angel of
light, but assumes the shapes of the vilest creatures to hinder preaching and
other good works, sometimes even taking the shape of a common sparrow. The
venerable father had scarcely said the word ere the enemy of mankind came on
the scene in the shape of a sparrow, and began to fly through the air, and
hopping even on the sisters' heads, so that they could have handled him had
they been so minded, and all this to hinder the preaching. St Dominic observing
this, called Sister Maximilla, and said: 'Get up and catch him, and fetch him
here to me.' She got up and, putting out her hand, had no difficulty in seizing
hold of him, and handed him out through the window to St Dominic. St Dominic
held him fast in one hand and commenced plucking off the feathers with the
other, saying the while: 'You wretch, you rogue!' When he had plucked him clean
of all his feathers amid much laughter from the brothers and sisters, and awful
shrieks of the sparrow, he pitched him out, saying: 'Fly now if you can, enemy
of mankind! you can cry out and trouble us, but you can't hurt us!' The sparrow
hopped once more through the window into the church, while All the sisters sat
down to hear the sermon, then climbing up to the brass vessel, suspended by
chains, which held the oil lamp, he broke the chains with a strong wrench and
overturned the vessel. The lamp fell out, but not only was it not damaged or
extinguished, but went on burning upside down. The sisters all looked up at the
crash of the upset, and saw the lamp standing without any support in mid-air.
And so it fell out as St Dominic had foretold, for although the lamp continued
upturned not one drop of oil was spilled. Neither was the lamp put out, nor was
the bran, put under the lamp for safety's sake, shaken out, but everything
remained untouched as if it had stood unshaken in its right place. When St
Dominic and his brethren saw this they returned thanks to God. He then ordered
Sister Sabina-the same whom he had named Sacristan when he appointed all the
officials in St Sixtus'- to put the lamp in its right place, and she did so.
And so it came about that he employed for God's glory what the enemy of mankind
had from envy done for their hurt and hindrance. The sparrow which flew in that
night disappeared, and no one saw whither he went. As it was late while St
Dominic was preaching the sisters lit the large lamps in the enclosure and the
brothers lit those without, so that all could easily see what was going on in
the church. St Dominic wrought this laughter-stirring miracle by the window in
St Sixtus' church, in the presence of Sister Cecilia, who saw and heard all
that had been said, and of the other sisters of St Sixtus who were also
present.
CHAPTER XI
HOW HE CURED A SOLITARY
OF A LOATHSOME DISEASE BY HIS MERITS
THERE was in Rome a
recluse, Bona by name, a woman of great holiness and piety, who dwelt in a
tower hard by the Lateran Gate, who was tended to by another woman called
Jacobina. St Dominic used often to visit her, for he had a high opinion of her
sanctity, and he would hear her confession and bring her holy communion. This
holy solitary was stricken with a foul disease, so that countless worms used to
creep out constantly from her breast, but if any fell to the ground she would
put them back again. One day St. Dominic visited her, and after giving her the
holy communion he sat down to converse with her through the little window, and
asked her to let him see the diseased part. She opened her dress and showed him
her breast all covered with creeping worms. Then the gentle father, beholding
her malady, compassionated her and said: 'Give me one of those worms as a
present I shall value.' But she would only let him have one on condition that
he gave it back to her again; so she accepted his promise, and picking up a
worm handed it through the window. St Dominic received it into his open palm,
and on touching it with his finger it turned into a most lovely precious stone.
When his companions saw this they begged of him not to give it back to her, but
she began to cry out, and entreated him to give her the precious stone which
was hers. She got it again and put it upon her breast, when it turned once more
into a worm as before. St Dominic absolved her from her sins, and bestowing his
blessing went away. As soon as he was gone all the diseased parts fell off from
her body with the worms, the flesh healed, and her breast appeared like that of
a young maiden. Some days after St Dominic called on her again, and found her
restored to her former health. She showed him and his companions her flesh, now
newly healed, and declared how our Lord had by his servant's merits cured her
of her infirmity. St Dominic and Brother Tancred, who was present, saw and
heard everything as here written down, and both told the whole story to Sister
Cecilia and the other sisters of St Sixtus.
CHAPTER XII
HOW THE LORD HEALED ANOTHER SOLITARY'S ARM BY ST DOMINIC'S MERITS
THERE was another
solitary living behind St Anastasia's church, who was called Sister Lucy, whom
Cecilia used to visit before entering into religion. This woman had a great
sore on her arm which caused the skin and flesh to rot away, so as to expose
the bone of the arm. As St Dominic frequently passed by the spot on his way to
St Sixtus' he often stopped to see her. One day while visiting her in company
with Brother Bertrand of Spain and several more, he made her show him the
diseased arm: as she presented it before him he blessed it with the sign of the
cross, and then went his way, while she recovered its perfect use by his
merits. Both St Dominic and Brother Bertrand, who was with him, and saw and
heard all the above, informed Sister Cecilia, and the other sisters belonging
to St Sixtus', of this miracle.
CHAPTER XIII
HOW HE FOUNDED THE CONVENT AT ST SIXTUS, AND CARRIED THITHER THE PICTURE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
WHEN, in furtherance of
Pope Honorius' behest, St Dominic was gathering together the nuns from the
scattered monasteries in the city, so as to unite them at St Sixtus' where the
brethren dwelt at the time, amongst others the abbess of St Mary's, beyond the
Tiber (where the picture of the Blessed Virgin stood, which is now at St
Sixtus') together with Sister Cecilia and all the nuns with one exception made
profession into St Dominic's hands, and promised to enter his enclosure with
all her sisters, provided that our Lady's picture stayed with them at St
Sixtus'. But if on the contrary the picture returned to its former resting
place, as it had done once before, then she and all the rest should be
dispensed from her vows: St Dominic accordingly accepted the condition right
willingly. When their professions were once made he told them that he could not
allow them to go out of their enclosure any more to see their kinsfolk. But
directly their friends got to hear of it they crowded up to the monastery, and began
to abuse the abbess and nuns for wanting to destroy so fair a monastery, and
for placing themselves blindly in the hands of a man whom nobody knew. The
result was that some of them regretted their profession. But St Dominic knew
all by the light of the Holy Spirit: so one morning he came to them, and when
Mass and sermon were over he addressed these simple words to them: 'My
daughters, are you changing so soon, and do you want to go back from the way of
the Lord? I want every one who means to enter of her own free will now to renew
her profession.' With this the abbess and all the rest renewed their profession
at his hands, although several of them had repented of the step at first, but
now were brought back to a sense of duty by his merits. When all had been once
more professed under the same condition, St Dominic took away all the monastery
keys, and had full control of everything thenceforth; he then set his
lay-brothers to guard it by day and night and to supply the sisters with
provisions; nor would he allow the nuns to converse any more with their friends
and kinsfolk at the grille. When the Pope gave the brethren the church of St
Sabina, and they had gone to reside there, taking all their furniture and
books, St Dominic wished the abbess and her nuns to take up their abode at St
Sixtus'. They entered and began to live there on the first Sunday in Lent, and
the foremost of all was Sister Cecilia, who was then about seventeen years of
age. She received the habit at the entrance door and made her profession a
third time into his hands; after her came the abbess, then all the nuns of her
monastery, besides other religious and secular women, numbering forty-four in
all. But as to the picture of our Lady, from fear of hindrance on the part of
the citizens of Rome, who desired to prevent its removal because they had
better access to it in its old place, St Dominic and the two lord cardinals,
Nicholas and Stephen (whose nephew the saint had raised to life), carried it by
night to the church of St Sixtus, accompanied by a throng of devout people in
front of and following it, all barefoot and bearing lighted tapers. They
brought it with all due reverence to the sisters' church, where the community
awaited it, and there they placed it. There also it stays to this day with the
sisters, to the praise of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be honour and glory
world without end. Amen.
CHAPTER XIV
ST DOMINIC'S PERSONAL
APPEARANCE
THIS was St Dominic's
appearance. He was of middle height and slender figure, of handsome and
somewhat ruddy countenance, his hair and beard of auburn, and with lustrous
eyes. From out his forehead and between his eye brows a radiant light shone
forth, which drew everyone to revere and love him. He was always joyous and
cheerful, except when moved to compassion at anyone's sorrows. His hands were
beautiful and tapering; his voice was clear, noble, and musical; he was never
bald, but kept his religious tonsure entire, mingled here and there with a few
grey hairs.
EPILOGUE
All that has here been
written down of St Dominic was narrated by Sister Cecilia, who declared that
she was ready to confirm everything upon oath, if necessary. But since her life
is so holy and devout we may easily take her bare word for it. All the above
which she spoke with her own mouth, was written down by Sister Angelica of the
same convent of St Agnes, unto the honour and praise of our Lord, Jesus Christ
and of our holy father Saint Dominic. Excuse the style since she lacks skill in
grammar.
"The
Legend of St. Dominic", by Blessed Cecilia Cesarini. Part III of Lives
of the Brethren of the Order of Preachers 1206-1259 (1955). Translated by
Placid Conway, O.P. Bede Jarrett, O.P. (ed.) London: Blackfriars Publications.
SOURCE : http://www.domcentral.org/trad/brethren/breth03.htm#03intro
Beata Cecilia Cesarini Vergine
Roma, 1200 circa -
Bologna, 1260
Diana degli Andalò
(Bologna, 1200 circa - 10 giugno 1236) e Cecilia Cesarini (Roma, 1200 circa -
Bologna, 1260) sono figure insigni di quella fioritura verginale che accompagnò
la presenza di san Domenico nella città di Bologna. Diana nelle mani del Patriarca
emise i voti di castità, povertà e obbedienza. Intorno a lei si raccolsero
altre religiose, fra cui la beata Cecilia. Nell'epistolario di Diana con il
beato Giordano di Sassonia, uno dei primi compagni del Fondatore dell'Ordine
dei Predicatori, è documentato il fervore di questa prima comunità nel cuore di
Bologna, mentre a Cecilia è attribuita una mirabile descrizione di san
Domenico. Il culto delle due beate vergini domenicane è stato confermato da
Leone XIII.
Martirologio Romano: A Bologna, beata Cecilia, vergine, che ricevette
l’abito monacale da san Domenico, del cui volto e del cui spirito fu testimone
fedelissima.
Nella traslazione e ricognizione delle reliquie di Diana d'Andalò, fatta nel 1510 nel monastero bolognese di S. Agnese, si trovarono nella medesima tomba tre corpi, due dei quali furono attribuiti rispettivamente a Diana e a Cecilia. Il terzo, che allora non fu identificato, nella traslazione successiva (1584) fu attribuito a suor Amata, presunta monaca venuta con altre sorelle nel 1224, su invito del b. Giordano di Sassonia, da S. Sisto a S. Agnese per stabilirvi la vita domenicana. Tale identificazione, evidentemente fondata su Galvano Fiamma, manca di qualsiasi conferma. Il culto di Diana, Cecilia e Amata fu approvato il 24 dicembre 1891 da Leone XIII e la loro festa stabilita al 9 giugno. I corpi delle beate si conservano tuttora nel monastero di S. Agnese di Bologna.
Diamo ora la biografia di Cecilia.
Nacque a Roma nei primi anni del sec. XIII e morì a Bologna verso il 1290. Non siamo certi del suo casato, benché molti la dicano della famiglia Cesarini. Dopo essere passata con altre religiose da S. Maria in Tempulo nel costituendo monastero di S. Sisto (28 febbraio 1221), verso la fine del 1223 o l'inizio del 1224 fu da papa Onorio III inviata con altre tre consorelle a Bologna, per informare nello spirito domenicano le suore del monastero di S. Agnese, da poco fondato dalla b. Diana d'Andalò e dal b. Giordano di Sassonia. Vi fu eletta priora. Sul declinare di una vita esemplare, tra i settanta e gli ottanta anni di età, volle edificare le consorelle, ricordando le meraviglie operate da s. Domenico a Roma nella contrastata fondazione di S. Sisto: i suoi racconti furono raccolti da suor Angelica e portano il titolo di Miracula beati Dominici, ai quali la Cecilia ha legato il suo nome nella storia e nella agiografia domenicana. Non deve tuttavia far meraviglia se questi ricordi, a mezzo secolo di distanza dai fatti, non possono costituire una fonte storica assolutamente sicura, quanto a cronologia e a nomi.
Autore: Luigi Abele Redigonda
SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/56790
Questo santo trio di
suore domenicane mostra che Dio chiama qualsiasi tipo di persona in convento
Monastero Domenicano di
Nostra Signora del Rosario
Meg Hunter-Kilmer - pubblicato
il 09/06/17
Le beate Diana, Amata e
Cecilia erano amiche di San DomenicoSe chiedete alla maggior parte delle
persone di dirvi quale delle loro conoscenze è più probabile che diventi una
suora, nove volte su dieci vi verrà indicata una ragazza timida e tranquilla,
ma chiunque abbia trascorso anche solo dieci minuti con un gruppo di suore vi
dirà che non tutte sono miti e “ordinarie” – al contrario! I conventi sono
pieni di reginette di bellezza, attrici e investitrici finanziarie, e di
persone allegre e rumorose.
L’8 giugno la Chiesa
celebra un gruppo di suore di questo tipo: le beate Diana, Amata e Cecilia,
amiche di San Domenico e tra le prime suore domenicane.
La beata Cecilia Cesarini
era una nobildonna benedettina. La sua comunità, antica e stimata, era
purtroppo anche coinvolta in molti scandali. Quando Cecilia aveva 17 anni,
Domenico arrivò a riformare la comunità su richiesta del Papa. Sentendolo
parlare della bellezza di una vita dedicata interamente a Dio, Cecilia ne
rimase affascinata e si gettò ai piedi del grande predicatore, chiedendo di
essere accolta nel suo ordine e diventando la prima suora domenicana.
Leggi anche:
21
anni ed entri in un convento di clausura? Intervista alla mia sorella minore
L’identità della beata
Amata è meno certa. Sappiamo che era cara a San Domenico, che ricevette il suo
nome da lui e che era una suora insieme a Diana e Cecilia.
La più vivace del gruppo
era Diana d’Andalo, una giovane nobildonna descritta come di “straordinaria
bellezza” e spigliata, affascinante, intelligente e piuttosto viziata. Diana
amava le cose belle e costose, finché non sentì le prediche del beato Reginaldo
d’Orleans, uno dei primi predicatori domenicani. Convinta dalle sue parole sul
lusso e la vanità, Diana diede via le belle cose che amava tanto e persuase il
padre a donare parte della sua terra ai frati.
Non soddisfatta, Diana
fece presto voto di verginità testimoniato da Domenico stesso. Questo tipo di
occasioni in genere vede padri orgogliosi e madri in lacrime, ma la professione
di Diana non suscitò sentimenti di questo tipo, per la semplice ragione che non
aveva riferito ai suoi genitori dei suoi progetti. Era (comprensibilmente)
preoccupata del fatto che la sua ricca famiglia avrebbe insistito per farla
sposare, e quindi prese la decisione sconsiderata di chiedere perdono piuttosto
che il permesso.
La sua consacrazione
segreta venne complicata ulteriormente dal fatto che non c’erano ancora
conventi domenicani in cui potesse entrare. Diana iniziò a vivere da suora
nella sua casa natale, ma la famiglia l’ostacolava nel pregare e digiunare come
avrebbe voluto, e quindi escogitò un piano: lei e le sue amiche avrebbero fatto
un picnic in un convento agostiniano. Alla fine della giornata, tutte le
ragazze sarebbero tornate a casa – tutte tranne Diana, che si sarebbe nascosta
dietro le mura del convento.
Ma la ragazza non aveva
fatto i conti con il furore della sua famiglia. Quando le sue amiche tornarono
a Bologna dicendo che Diana aveva deciso di restare, suo padre, i suoi fratelli
e i suoi zii andarono a prenderla. Galopparono fino al convento esigendo che
tornasse con loro. Diana si rifiutò, arrivando a salire sulle mura
dell’edificio, ma alla fine venne strappata via ritrovandosi con almeno una
costola rotta.
Leggi anche:
Ti
senti inadeguato rispetto al compito che ti aspetta? Ecco il santo per te!
Diana sembrava vicina
alla morte quando tornò a casa, e rimase confinata a letto. In quel periodo
ricevette delle lettere da Domenico, che pur essendo sul letto di morte la
incoraggiava a perseverare nella sua vocazione. E fu quello che fece, arrivando
a sfiancare la famiglia. La seconda volta che fuggì per diventare suora nessuno
la seguì per riportarla indietro.
Non molto tempo dopo la
morte di San Domenico, Diana lasciò la sua casa temporanea con gli agostiniani
per trasferirsi nel convento di Sant’Agnese, dove iniziò a vivere secondo la
regola di San Domenico. Per qualche mese funse da priora, ma presto il beato
Giordano di Sassonia (il maestro generale dei Domenicani dopo la morte di
Domenico) fece chiamare delle suore con maggiore esperienza provenienti da
Roma, delle quali Cecilia venne nominata priora.
Le tante lettere di
Giordano a Diana ci offrono un modello di direzione spirituale e casta
amicizia. Questi testi, insieme alla descrizione di San Domenico offertaci
dalla beata Cecilia, formano l’eredità letteraria di questo trio di sante
donne, ma la loro testimonianza di santità potrebbe essere ancor più preziosa.
Leggi anche:
Come
incoraggiare la vocazione religiosa di un figlio?
Chiediamo loro di pregare
per tutte le donne che discernono la vita religiosa e per quelle che non
sembrano adattarsi agli schemi. Beate Diana, Amata e Cecilia, pregate per noi!
[Traduzione dall’inglese
a cura di Roberta Sciamplicotti]
SOURCE : https://it.aleteia.org/2017/06/09/suore-domenicane-sante-vocazione-vita-religiosa
CECILIA, beata
di Marco Palma -
Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 23 (1979)
CECILIA, beata. - Nacque
a Roma all'inizio del sec. XIII. Doveva uscire da una nobile famiglia, ma il
cognome Cesarini, che le viene più frequentemente attribuito (in alternativa a
quelli di Frangipane e Malabranca), non trova riscontro nei documenti. Entrò
molto giovane nel monastero di S. Maria in Tempulo (detto anche Tempuli o in
Tempore), situato in quella che era a quel tempo la campagna tra il Circo
Massimo e le mura aureliane. Le carte del monastero conservano il suo nome in
un documento del 26 nov. 1219 in cui, dopo la badessa Eugenia, sono elencate
quattro monache.
La svolta decisiva della
vita di C. fu costituita dall'incontro della piccola comunità di S. Maria in
Tempulo con s. Domenico. Quest'ultimo, volendo fondare un monastero
femminile del suo nuovo Ordine a Roma, riuscì a ottenere da Onorio III la
chiesa di S. Sisto, presso cui già Innocenzo III aveva progettato, oltre un
decennio prima, di riunire in clausura buona parte delle monache romane. Con
una bolla del 4 dic. 1219 Onorio III privò dell'amministrazione del tempio
l'Ordine dei canonici di Sempringham, investendone subito dopo i domenicani. Il
reclutamento delle religiose presentò a s. Domenico delle grandi difficoltà per
la opposizione delle monache e delle loro famiglie, dispiaciute del rigore
della nuova disciplina e toccate anche negli interessi temporali connessi
all'amministrazione dei monasteri esistenti. Le monache di S. Maria in
Tempulo aderirono (tranne una) tra la fine del 1219 e l'inizio del 1221,
prendendo definitivamente il nuovo abito dalle mani di s. Domenico il 28 febbr.
1221. Qualche anno dopo, prima comunque della morte di Onorio III (1227), C. fu
inviata dal papa insieme con tre consorelle a Bologna con il compito di
organizzare il monastero domenicano di S. Agnese fondato in quella città nel
1223 dalla beata Diana d'Andalò. Nella nuova sede, dove ricoprì anche la carica
di badessa, C. trascorse il resto della sua lunga vita.
Morì nel 1290, circondata
dal rispetto di confratelli e consorelle verso una superstite dell'epoca eroica
dell'Ordine domenicano e fu sepolta nella chiesa del monastero bolognese. La
sua memoria fu accomunata nei secoli successivi dal culto delle monache di S.
Agnese a quella della fondatrice Diana d'Andalò e di una suor Amata romana,
sulla cui effettiva esistenza storica pesano gravissimi dubbi. Il 24 dic. 1891,
tre anni dopo la beatificazione di Diana, anche a C. e Amata fu riconosciuto il
culto dovuto ai beati.
Il nome di C. è legato
ai Miracula beatiDominici, che una suor Angelica del convento bolognese scrisse
nel corso del sec. XIII sulla base dei ricordi e dei racconti della stessa
Cecilia. Limitata al breve periodo di tempo in cui C. ebbe modo di conoscere
direttamente il santo, l'operetta risente naturalmente dell'esaltazione
fideistica e del gusto per la leggenda che si possono comprendere in una
testimone oculare abituata a ripetere continuamente alle consorelle il racconto
dei fatti cui aveva assistito. L'abbondanza e la precisione dei particolari
forniti da C. (spesso confermati dall'indagine storica, come per es. nel
racconto del passaggio a S. Sisto delle monache di S. Maria in Tempulo e
nella descrizione conclusiva della figura fisica del santo) rendono comunque i Miracula una
testimonianza di singolare interesse per la ricostruzione della biografia di s.
Domenico e in particolare del suo ultimo soggiorno romano (per le varie ediz.
dei Miracula, di cui l'ultima in ordine di tempo è a cura di A.
Walz, Die "Miracula Beati Dominici" der
SchwesterCäcilia, in Archivum fratrum praedicatorum, XXXVII [1967], pp.
5-45, cfr. Repert. fontium...).
Fonti e Bibl.: Acta
Sanctorum, Iunii, II, Antverpiae 1698, pp. 365-368; Augusti, I, ibid.
1733, pp. 588 s.; J. Quétif-J. Echard, Scriptores OrdinisPraedicatorum
recensiti, II, Lutetiae Parisiorum 1721, pp. 830 s.; T. M. Mamachi-F. M.
Pollilidori-V. M. Badetto-H. D. Christianopulus, Annalium Ordinis Praedic. volumen
primum, Romae 1756, pp. XLVI, 560 s., 577 s.; Appendix, coll.
247-263; [P. Mothon], Monumenta conventus S. P. Dominici
Bononiensis, in Analecta sacri Ordinis fratrum praedic., IV(1899-1900),
pp. 370 s.; V (1901-1902), pp. 124, 248; I. Taurisano, Catalogus
Hagiographicus Ordinis Praedic., Romae 1918, pp. 10, 67, 70, 74, 78; J.-J.
Berthierj, Chroniques du monastère de San Sisto et de San Domenico e Sisto
à Rome, I,Levanto 1919, pp. 19-31; I. Taurisano, Fontes selecti vitae s. Dominici
de Guzman, Romae s. d. [ma 1924], pp. 38-53; M. Canall, Documenta hagiogr. Sancti
patris Dominici, II, Miracula s. Dominici quae fecit apud Urbem Romam; narravit
soror Caecilia Romana, in Analecta sacri Ordinis fratrum praedic., XXI
(1933-1934), pp. 504-515; G. B. Melloni, Atti, o mem. degli
uomini illustri in santità, nati o morti in Bologna, I,2, Bologna 1788,
pp. 392-403; Id., Vita di s. Domenico fondatore dell'Ordine de'
predicatori, Bologna 1788, pp. 202-213; H.-M. Cormier, Vita delle beate
Diana d'Andalò, C. ed Amata fondatrici del monastero delle domenicane
di S. Agnese in Bologna, Roma 1892, pp. 69 s., 77, 134-142, 149, 153 s.;
B. Altaner, Der hl. Dominikus. Untersuch. und Texte,
Breslau 1922, pp. 135, 165-170, 188 s., 191 s.; L. G. A. Getino, Origen
del Rosario. Leyendas castellanas de Santo Domingo (siglo XIII),
Vergara 1924, pp. 150-173; A. Zucchi, Roma domenicana, I, Firenze 1938,
pp. 255 s.; Id., Sulla dubbia autenticità di un'antica scrittura, in Memorie
domenicane, LXI (1944), pp. 37-40; M.-H. Laurent, Cécile, in Dict. d'Hist. et
de Géogr. Eccl., XII, Pafris 1953, col. 40; M.-H. Vicaire, Histoire
de Saint-Dominique, II, Paris 1957, pp. 278-297; V. J. Koudelka, Le "Monasterium
Tempuli" et la fondation dominicaine de San Sisto, in Arch. fratrum
praedic., XXXI(1961), pp. 7, 16, 19-21, 33, 38-40, 42, 51, 53-64; L. A.
Redigonda, C., in Bibliotheca Sanctorum, IV, Roma 1964, col. 595; G.
B. Melloni, Atti o mem. degli uomini illustri in santità nati o morti
in Bologna (Supplimento alla I e II classe), a cura di A.
Benati-M. Fanti, Roma 1971, pp. 80 s., 133-147, 421; Repertoriumfontium
historiae Medii Aevi, III, p. 98.
SOURCE : http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/beata-cecilia_(Dizionario-Biografico)/
Cecilia Cesarini, Beata
Religiosa, 4 de agosto
Por: . | Fuente: www.op.com.ar
Virgen Dominica
Martirologio Romano: En
Bolonia, en la Emilia, beata Cecilia, virgen, que recibió el hábito de
religiosa de manos de santo Domingo, de cuya vida y espíritu fue testigo
fidelísima (1290).
Breve Biografia
Cecilia Cesarini, nacida
en Roma a comienzos del siglo XIII, se trasladó en el año de 1221 de Santa
María in Tempulo al monasterio de San Sixto, donde conoció a santo Domingo, de
cuya fisonomía y espíritu dio un testimonio fidelísimo.
A finales del año 1223 o a comienzos de 1224, el papa Honorio III la envió a
Bolonia con otras tres hermanas para introducir el espíritu del santo Padre
Domingo en el monasterio de Santa Inés, fundado por la beata Diana.
Murió allí el año 1290. Parte de las reliquias de ambas se veneran en el
monasterio de S. Inés de Bolonia y parte en la iglesia de los Siervos de María
en Ronzano (Bolonia); la cabeza de la beata Diana se venera en S. Domingo de
Bolonia; la de la beata Cecilia en el monasterio de los SS. Sixto y Domingo en
Roma.
SOURCE : https://es.catholic.net/op/articulos/36114/cecilia-cesarini-beata.html#modal
4 de agosto de 2015
Beata
CECILIA CESARINI. (1203-1290).
Martirologio Romano: En Bolonia, en la Emilia, beata Cecilia, virgen, que recibió el hábito de religiosa de manos de santo Domingo, de cuya vida y espíritu fue testigo fidelísima.
Nació en Roma. Ingresó en
el monasterio romano de Santa María in Témpulo, cerca del monasterio de San
Sixto. El papa Inocencio III tenía deseo de reunir en el monasterio de San
Sixto a diversos grupos de monjas romanas, dispersas en otros monasterios, que llevaban
una vida poco recogida o poco rigurosa, pero murió antes de ver realizado su
proyecto y lo continuó su sucesor Honorio III que se lo confió a santo Domingo
de Guzmán, que fundó así el primer monasterio de monjas dominicas de clausura,
para ello contó con la ayuda de Cecilia que hizo la profesión perpetua en manos
de santo Domingo de Guzmán, en 1221, cuando tenía 17 años. Se convirtió en la
piedra fundamental en la fundación del primer monasterio de dominicas en Roma;
será la que llevó el espíritu “religioso” del mismo Santo Domingo al nuevo
monasterio de Santa Inés de Bolonia, fundado por santa Diana D’Andalo bajo la
dirección del beato Jordán de Sajonia donde Cecilia fue modelo de santidad;
será ella quién con su “Narración”, nos informe sobre la vida de santo Domingo,
y sobre todo en la descripción de sus rasgos físicos y su espíritu.
Se trasladó a la nueva
fundación del monasterio de Santa Inés de Bolonia, y sucederá a la beata Diana,
cuando murió. Regirá el monasterio hasta su muerte.
SOURCE : https://hagiopedia.blogspot.com/2013/08/beata-cecilia-cesarini-1203-1290.html
