Subj : =?UTF-8?Q?February_19th_=E2=80=93_Bl=2E_Alvarez_of_Cordova?= To : All From : rich Date : Thu Feb 18 2021 09:13:08 From: rich February 19th =E2=80=93 Bl. Alvarez of Cordova THE birthplace of Bl. Alvarez is uncertain: some authorities give it as Lisbon and others Cordova, where the greater part of his life was spent. He entered the Dominican convent of St Paul there in 1368. He became a wonderful preacher and laboured with great success first in Andalusia and afterwards in Italy. On the death of King Henry II of Castile, Alvarez became confessor and adviser of the Queen-mother Catherine (who was the daughter of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster), and directed the early training of the young King John II. He completely reformed the court, but when, owing to political dissensions, the regency was divided he withdrew from court and resumed his former work as a preacher. Bl. Alvarez had long formed the design, which he proceeded to carry out, of founding a Dominican house which, in accord with the reform already begun by Bl. Raymund of Capua, should follow strictly the rule of St. Dominic. He chose a mountainous region not far from Cordova, and there he erected the Escalaceli, Ladder of Heaven, which became a centre of piety and learning, to which men flocked from all parts of Spain. Alvarez exercised a great influence in resisting the papal claimant =E2=80=9CBenedict XIII=E2=80=9D, Peter de Luna, and in bringing the people = and--what was much more difficult--the grandees, to acknowledge the legitimate pope. In spite of advancing age Bl. Alvarez continued his work of catechizing, teaching and preaching: he would spend his whole day in such tasks, and when he returned at night to his monastery he would devote nearly all the night to prayer. He and his brethren depended upon alms for their food, and sometimes he went to the market-place in Cordova and addressed the people, ending up by saying, =E2=80=9CMy dear brethren, the poor friars of St. Dominic in the mountain recommend themselves to your charity=E2=80=9D. His practices of penance grew ever mor= e severe; he crawled on his knees to a chapel dedicated to our Lady of Pity, taking the discipline as he went, and a picture still at Cordova represents him thus kneeling, his shoulders covered with blood and accompanied by angels, some of whom are clearing away little rocks from his path. He built several chapels in the monastery grounds, each one representing a =E2=80=9Cstation=E2=80=9D or scene of our Lord's= passion, doubtless suggested to him by his experiences as a pilgrim in Jerusalem. It was told that one night when he had been praying in one of these, a violent storm made the brook which separated it from the monastery quite impassable. When the bell rang for Matins the holy man lifted his eyes to God, took off his black cloak, spread it on the water and walked safely across to dry land; he retrieved his cloak and returned to his place in choir as usual. The cultus of Bl. Alvarez was confirmed in 1741. See Touron, Les Hommes illustres de l'Ordre de St Dominique, vol. i= ii, pp. 98-110 Procter, Dominican Saints, pp. 42-44; Mortier, Ma=C3=AEtres G=C3=A9n=C3=A9raux OP., vol. iv, pp. 210-214. Mortier points out that the d= ate 1420 usually assigned for the death of Alvarez cannot possibly be correct, for documentary evidence shows that he was living in 1423. The same historian seems to claim for Bl. Alvarez that he was the originator in the West of the devotion of the Stations of the Cross. But the idea of a series of such shrines may be traced as far back as St. Petronius of Bologna in the fifth century, and the Augustinians, Peter and John da Fabriano, erected similar stations shortly before the time of Alvarez. The idea at this period was becoming very general. Saint Quote: "Love sinners, but hate their works, and do not despise them for their faults, lest you be tempted by the same. Remember that you share the earthly nature of Adam and that you are clothed with his infirmity." --St. Isaac the Syrian. Bible Quote: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.=C2 (2 Corinthians 12:9) DRB <><><><> Rise, glorious Victor, rise Into Thy native skies,-- Assume Thy right; And where in many a fold The clouds are backward rolled, Pass through those gates of gold, And reign in light. Enter, Incarnate God; No feet but Thine have trod The serpent down; The full-voiced trumpets blow, Wider the portals throw; Saviour, triumphant go, And take Thy crown. O Lord, ascend Thy throne; For Thou shalt rule alone, Beside Thy Sire And blessed Paraclete, The Three in One complete, Before Whose awful feet All foes expire. --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .