St. Dominic fought heresy in France

Born to Spanish nobility, the priest founded the Order of Preachers

St. Dominic – August 8

- WCR photo by Ted Fitzgerald St. Hippolytus and St. Dominic adorn Santo Domingo Church façade.

By TED FITZGERALD
Special to the WCR
Oaxaca, Mexico

Strollers on central Oaxaca's pedestrianized Andador de Macedonio Alcala can't avoid the city's most recognized religious structure. Dominating its surroundings, the ex-Convent of Santo Domingo de Guzman has housed an important museum since 1972 and is more familiar to Oaxaque¤os than even the great cathedral, just four blocks away.

Those approaching the complex cross a large pedestrian square with its unusual, elaborate and geometric maguey garden before reaching the main entrance.

Once inside and gazing at the church from the main courtyard, visitors are presented with the unusual and attention-getting rendition on the lower choir ceiling of the illustrated family tree of Dominic de Guzman.

All ancestors present

Each ancestor of the church patron and founder of the religious order named for him is portrayed in colour, wearing period dress.

Born into Spanish nobility in 1170, Dominic received a religious education and enrolled as a priest in the Augustinian order. An invitation to join his bishop on a missionary tour alerted him to the presence of several active heresies operating in Southern France. This ultimately led to his formation of the Order of Preachers dedicated to working in the world, using preaching as a means of attracting converts to the true faith.

This mendicant group, founded in 1215 and sanctioned by Pope Innocent III, soon spread to northern Europe, Russia and North Africa.

Then, in response to a request for missionaries from Conquistador Hernan Cortez, Spanish Dominicans travelled to Mexico in 1526 and established churches and convents in southern areas. The one at Santo Domingo in Oaxaca functioned from 1608 to 1857, and is said to be one of the most beautiful examples of Dominican style architecture.

- WCR photo by Ted Fitzgerald Santo Domingo Church is an exquisite example of Dominican architecture.

Ostentatious decoration is the rule for the church interior, with domed ceilings covered with ornate patterns that incorporate religious symbolism and a variety of saints, particularly those of the Dominican order. Following 250 years as the convent church, Mexican independence saw the military occupying it, followed by looting and destruction.

Museum

Possession was regained by the Church in 1938, with the exception of the convent, which subsequently became the present Museum of Oaxacan Cultures.

From the large central courtyard fountain to the shaded cloisters to the dormitory areas, the convent has been meticulously restored to its original appearance to provide 14 museum rooms dedicated to themes such as: ancient cultures, treasures of Monte Alban, the new faith and emergence of a new nation.

The complex is also noted for a historical private library, with many rare volumes and a well-stocked, large bookstore-gift shop. Even the old convent gardens have been restored to provide visitors with an insight into the irrigation methods used here and the types of produce grown in this area during the 17th century.

Fascinating sights

Leaving the Santo Domingo site, visitors find an unending variety of things to see and do in the old city core. Explorations can be interrupted by relaxing in restaurants, at street level or on second storey balconies, facing out onto the expanse of the city's main Plaza de Armas (the Zocalo) or adjoining Plaza Alameda de Leon.

Then, if the masses of promenading humanity seem overwhelming, there's the adjacent cathedral with its enormous quiet spaces for meditation and prayer.

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