Bienheureux Alvare de Zamora
prêtre dominicain espagnol (✝ 1430)
Originaire d'une
famille noble, à un âge précoce, il entre en 1368 au couvent dominicain de
Saint Paul à Cordoue. Excellent prédicateur, il aide à réformer l'ordre fondé
par le bienheureux Raymond de Capoue. Avec l'aide du roi Don Juan de Castille
dont il était le confesseur, il fonde un monastère près de Cordoue et, au
retour d'un pèlerinage à Jérusalem, il y introduit la vénération du chemin de
croix. Culte approuvé par le pape Benoît XV le 22 septembre 1741.
Commémoraison du bienheureux Alvare de Zamora, prêtre de l’Ordre des Prêcheurs, grand prédicateur, qui établit un chemin de croix dans le couvent fondé par lui près de Cordoue en Andalousie, où il mourut vers 1430.
Martyrologe
romain
Álvaro de Cordoue
1348-1430
Álvaro (ou Álvarez) était originaire de Cordoue (Espagne) ou de Lisbonne
(Portugal) et pouvait être né vers les années 1350.
En 1368 - la première date sûre qu’on ait de lui - il entra chez
les Dominicains de Cordoue.
Le Grand Schisme allait éclater en Occident et Álvaro se donna à toutes
sortes de pénitences pour expier cette erreur : cilice, chaîne de fer, veilles,
jeûnes, silence, rien ne lui suffisait pour implorer la miséricorde de
Dieu.
Parmi les Frères, il recherchait avidement le dernier rang, toujours
prévenant envers eux.
Il parcourut l’Andalousie en prêchant, puis passa en Italie, et de là en
Palestine. Près des Lieux Saints, il pleura amèrement sur l’endurcissement des
Sarrazins et des schismatiques, mais aussi des mauvais catholiques.
En 1405, il reprit son apostolat en Espagne. Le roi Enrico II de
Castille le consulta ; à la mort de ce dernier, la reine Catalina le prit comme
confesseur et lui confia l’éducation du jeune roi Juan II. Álvaro en profita
pour réformer la cour, mais demanda sa liberté dès que possible.
La reine l’appuya dans son désir de fonder un couvent dominicain selon
l’esprit de réforme voulu par s. Raimondo de Capoue (v. 5 octobre). Le couvent
s’appela Escalacæli (Echelle du Ciel), et fut une pépinière de sainteté et de
science divine.
Álvaro prêcha pour convaincre la population de rester fidèle au pape
légitime (Grégoire XII puis Martin V) et de s’opposer à l’antipape Pedro de
Luna (qui s’appelait Benoît XIII).
Álvaro avançait en âge, mais ne s’épargnait aucune fatigue pour la
prédication et l’enseignement ; la nuit, il priait longuement. Il fit
construire plusieurs petites chapelles sur le territoire du monastère ; une
nuit qu’il fut bloqué par la tempête dans l’une d’elles, tandis que l’eau
descendait en cascade à l’entour, il entendit la cloche de l’office : il
étendit son manteau sur ce ruisseau imprévu, et revint au couvent à pieds secs
et à l’heure ; son manteau était resté sec et propre.
Au terme de ses prédications, il suscitait la charité des fidèles en
faveur des Frères, dont le couvent de l’Echelle du Ciel ne vivait que
d’aumônes.
On le voyait parcourir à genoux le trajet qui le menait à une chapelle
mariale, pendant lequel il se flagellait.
Álvaro eut la joie de saluer la fin du schisme d’Occident (1417) avec
l’élection de Martin V.
Comme le rappelle le
Martyrologe Romain, Álvaro mourut le 19 février 1430 et son culte fut confirmé
en 1741.
SOURCE : http://www.samuelephrem.eu/2015/11/alvaro-de-cordoue.html
Bienheureux Alvarez de Cordoue
Réformateur Dominicain
Fête le 19 février
Zamora, León, v. 1350 – † Córdoba, Andalousie, id. v. 1430 ou 1434 (?)
Béatifié le 22 septembre 1741 par le pape Benoît XIV
Autre mention : 9 février
Autres graphies : [Alvarus] Alvaro de Córdoba, de Zamora ou Albaro
En Espagne, la réforme de l’Ordre des dominicains a pour promoteur le
bienheureux Alvarez de Cordoue, prédicateur puissant, « le Vincent Ferrier
de l’Andalousie », qui crée près de Cordoue le couvent de la « Scala
coeli » (1423), puis un autre à Cordoue même (1427). Le Maître général des
frères prêcheurs Barthélemy Texier se sert de lui pour étendre la réforme en Castille,
et, en 1440, institue un Vicaire général pour les observants de la province
d’Aragon. Son culte a été confirmé en 1741 par le pape Benoît XIV (1740-58).
Blessed Alvarez of
Cordova, OP (AC)
(also known as Albaro)
Died c. 1430; cultus confirmed in 1741. Blessed Alvarez is claimed by both
Spain and Portugal. He received the habit in the convent of Saint Paul in
Cordova in 1368, and had been preaching there for some time in Castile and
Andalusia when Saint Vincent Ferrer began preaching in Catalonia.
Having gone to Italy
and the Holy Land on a pilgrimage, Alvarez returned to Castile and preached the
crusade against the infidels. He was spiritual advisor to the queen-mother of
Spain, Catherine daughter of John of Gaunt, and tutor to her son John II.
Alvarez had the work of preparing the people spiritually for the desperate
effort to banish the Moors from Spain. He also opposed the Avignon pope Peter
de Luna.
Blessed Alvarez is
probably best remembered as a builder of churches and convents, an activity
which was symbolic of the work he did in the souls of those among whom he
preached. He founded, in one place, a convent to shelter a famous image of Our
Lady, which had been discovered in a miraculous manner. Near Cordova he built
the famous convent of Scala Coeli, a haven of regular observance. It had great
influence for many years. His building enterprises were often aided by the
angels, who, during the night, carried wood and stones to spots convenient for
the workmen.
The austerities of
Alvarez were all the more remarkable in that they were not performed by a
hermit, but by a man of action. He spent the night in prayer, as Saint Dominic
had done; he wore a hairshirt and a penitential chain; and he begged alms in
the streets of Cordova for the building of his churches, despite the fact that
he had great favor at court and could have obtained all the money he needed
from the queen. He had a deep devotion to the Passion, and had scenes of the
Lord's sufferings made into small oratories in the garden of Scala Coeli.
On one occasion,
when there was no food for the community but one head of lettuce left from the
night before, Blessed Alvarez called the community together in the refectory,
said the customary prayers, and sent the porter to the gate. There the
astonished brother found a stranger, leading a mule; the mule was loaded with
bread, fish, wine, and all things needed for a good meal. The porter turned to
thank the benefactor and found that he had disappeared.
At another time,
Blessed Alvarez was overcome with pity at a dying man who lay untended in the
street. Wrapping the man in his mantle, he started home with the sufferer, and
one of the brothers asked what he was carrying. "A poor sick man,"
replied Alvarez. But when they opened the mantle, there was only a large
crucifix in his arms. This crucifix is still preserved at Scala Coeli.
Blessed Alvarez died
and was buried at Scala Coeli. An attempt wads made later to remove the relics
to Cordova, but it could not be done, because violent storms began each time
the journey was resumed, and stopped when the body was returned to its original
resting place.
A bell in the chapel
of Blessed Alvarez, in the convent of Cordova, rings of itself when anyone in
the convent, or of special not in the order, is about to die (Benedictines,
Dorcy).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0209.shtml
Blessed Alvarez of Cordova
Autore: Franco Mariani
Blessed Alvarez of Cordova
Also known as
- Albaro of Cordova
- Alvaro de Zamora
Profile
Joined the Dominicans
at Cordova, Spain in 1368. Renowned and well-travelled preacher, well known in Andalusia and Italy. Pilgrim to the Holy Lands. Preached Crusade.
Personal confessor, spiritual guide and political advisor to Queen Catherine. In charge of the education of young King John II. Opposed the Avignon pope Peter de Luna. Reformed many of the practices common at court.
Founded Escalaceli
(Ladder of Heaven), a Dominican
house of strict observance in the mountains around Cordova; it became a well known center of piety and learning.
Alvarez spent his days there preaching, teaching, begging alms
in the street, and spending his nights in prayer.
In the gardens of the house he set up a series of oratories with images of
the Holy Lands and Passion, similar to modern Stations of the Cross.
There are many
wonderful stories attatched to Alvarez, which include:
- Angels
are reported to have helped built Escalaceli, moving stone and wooden
building materials to the site during the night, placing them where workmen could easily get them during the day.
- Once when the entire food stocks for the house
consisted of a single head of lettuce, he gathered all the brothers at
table, gave thanks for the meal, and sent the porter to the door; the porter found a stanger leading a mule loaded with food. After
unloading the mule, the stranger and the animal disappeared.
- Alvarez once found a beggar dying alone in the street. He wrapped the poor man in his own cloak,
and carried him back to Escalaceli. When he arrived at the house and
unwrapped the cloak,
instead of man, he found a crucifix. It still hangs in Escalaceli.
- A bell
in the chapel with Alvarez’s relics rings by itself just before the death of anyone in the house.
- Attempts were made to move Alvarez’s relics to Cordova, but each try led to violent storms that kept the travellers bottled up until they gave up their task, leave the
bones where they are.
Born
God of mercy, you
endowed Blessed Alvarez with the gifts of penance and divine love. With the
help of his prayers and example may we always bear the suffering of Christ in
our bodies and your love in our hearts. We ask this through our Lord Jesus
Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. – General
Calendar of the Order of Preachers
Beato Alvaro De Zamora da Cordova
Domenicano
Zamora, 1360 - Cordova, 1430
Nel 1368
entrò nel convento di s. Paolo a Cordova. Laureatosi a Salamanca, fu in un
primo tempo destinato a insegnare Sacra Scrittura, ma le sue straordinarie
capacità si rivelarono quando l'obbedienza gli affidò il ministero della
predicazione. Fu emulo del suo confratello s. Vincenzo Ferreri e con lui
contribuì a sottrarre seguaci all'antipapa Benedetto XIII. Rinnovò con
l'ardente parola e con l'esempio di vita austera l'Andalusia. Ritornato da un
viaggio in Terra Santa, diffuse la devozione ad alcuni episodi della Passione:
fu così tra gli iniziatori della Via Crucis. Fondò presso Cordova il celebre
convento di s. Domingo di Scala Coeli, centro propulsore della riforma
domenicana in Spagna.
Martirologio
Romano: A Córdova nell’Andalusia in Spagna, commemorazione del beato Alvaro,
sacerdote dell’Ordine dei Predicatori, insigne per la predicazione e la
contemplazione della Passione di Cristo.
Alvaro da
Cordova, come affermano antichi storici, appartenne alla nobilissima famiglia
Cardona. Egli vestì l’Abito domenicano in tenera età, nel Convento di S. Paolo in
Cordova nell’anno 1368. Fu famoso e ardente predicatore e con gli esempi e con
le opere contribuì alla riforma dell’Ordine inaugurata dal Beato Raimondo da
Capua e dai suoi discepoli. Di ritorno da un pellegrinaggio fatto in Terra
Santa, riportò scolpito nel cuore il doloroso cammino del Calvario percorso dal
Salvatore. Desideroso di vivere un’esistenza solitaria e perfetta, dove poter
temprare lo spirito per un più proficuo apostolato, col favore del Re, Don
Giovanni II di Castiglia, di cui era confessore, poté fondare a tre miglia da
Cordova il famoso e osservantissimo Convento di S. Domenico Scala Coeli, dove
dispose vari oratori che riproducevano la via dolorosa, da lui venerata in
Gerusalemme. Questa
sacra rappresentazione fu imitata da altri Conventi, dando origine alla
devozione tanto bella della Via Crucis, così cara alla pietà cristiana. Di
notte si recava in ginocchio a una grotta molto distante dal Convento dove, a
imitazione del Santo Padre Domenico, pregava e si flagellava. Questa grotta
divenne poi meta di pellegrinaggi da parte dei fedeli. Ebbe il dono della
profezia e operò miracoli. Morì il 19 febbraio del 1430, venendo sepolto nel
convento da lui fondato. Papa Benedetto XIV il 22 settembre 1741 ha approvato
il culto.
Autore: Franco Mariani
