A Spanish Dominican of the 14th and 15th centuries, Alvarez of Cordova was a great preacher in Europe and Palestine. Confessor to Queen Catherine of Castile, he founded the convent of Santa-Curli and actively fought against the Western Schism before dying in 1420.
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BLESSED ALVAREZ OF CORDOVA (1420).
Entry into religious life and ascetic life
Alvarez joined the Order of Saint Dominic in 1368 and distinguished himself through a life of rigorous austerities and Christian virtues.
Alvarez of Cordova Alvarez de Cordoue Spanish Dominican friar of the 14th-15th century, preacher and royal advisor. , born around the middle of the 14th century, took t he habit of Sai Saint-Dominique Religious order to which Magdeleine belonged. nt Dominic in 1368. His attraction to austerities led him to add very rigorous practices to the severity of the rule. He wore a hair shirt with an iron chain that served as his belt. Humility, charity, and a spirit of prayer were the principal virtues that were admired in him, and which shone in the eyes of the people when he devoted himself to the ministry of preaching.
Missions and travels
He conducted preaching missions in Andalusia, Castile, Italy, and Palestine before returning to Spain in 1405.
After conducting missions in the kingdoms of Andalu sia and Ca Andalousie Region in southern Spain where the saint primarily exercised his ministry. stile a nd bring Castille Region of Spain where the saint ended his days. ing a great multitude of sinners back to God, he traveled to Italy and from there to Palestine, where the efforts of his holy ministry were no less consoling. Upon returning to Castile in the year 1405, he resumed the work he had so happily begun.
Royal Advisor and Foundation of Scala Coeli
Confessor to Queen Catherine of Castile, he used his influence to found the convent of Scala Coeli near Cordoba.
After the death of Henry II, King of Castile, Q ueen Catherine, reine Catherine Queen of Castile and patron of Alvarez. his widow, chose him as her confessor, gave him her full confidence, and made him her intimate advisor. He took advantage of his influential position at court to promote piety and religion. As the duties he performed for the Queen became more difficult for him every day, he obtained permission to be relieved of them, and the princess, in dismissing him, enabled him to build a convent of his Order, undertaking to contribute to all the expenses of this establishment. Alvarez had it built on a mountain two leagues from Cordoba and gave it the name of Scala Coel i, that is Santa-Curli Convent founded by Alvarez near Cordoba. to say, Ladder of Heaven, but he refused the rich endowment that the Queen and the young King John II, her son, wished to attach to it.
Western Schism and end of life
He worked for the end of the Western Schism, died in 1420, and saw his cult confirmed by Pope Benedict XIV.
Once he had retired there, he soon saw a large number of religious and novices arrive, presenting themselves to live under his guidance. He contributed greatly to the extinction of the Western Schism schisme d'Occident Crisis of the papacy whose end Elizabeth predicted. through the efforts he made to detach from Peter de Luna Pierre de Lune Avignon antipope during the Great Schism. the numerous partisans he still retained in Spain. A worthy imitator of Saint Vincent Ferrer, saint Vincent Ferrier Dominican preacher who was the spiritual guide of Margaret. he did in Andalusia what that apostolic man was doing in various kingdoms, and his missions only ended with his life. He died on February 19, 1420, and various miracles attested to his holiness. Soon he was invoked as Blessed, and his tomb became famous for the gathering of pilgrims who came to seek his intercession. His cult was authorized by Benedict XIV, who extended it to the entire Benoît XIV Pope who beatified Jerome Emiliani. Order of Saint Dominic.
Source
The text is taken from the Dominican Year.
Dominican Year.
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Took the habit with the Dominicans in 1368
- Missions in Andalusia, Castile, Italy, and Palestine
- Return to Castile in 1405
- Confessor and advisor to Queen Catherine of Castile
- Foundation of the Santa-Curli (Ladder of Heaven) convent near Cordoba
- Struggle against the Western Schism and Pedro de Luna
Miracles
- Various miracles attested after his death, attracting pilgrims to his tomb