Being the feast of St Dominic, I thought of sharing with you today this interesting discovery. After World War II, Pope Pius XII authorized the Dominicans of Bologna to have the relics of the founder examined. … After the war, with the Pope’s permission, the Provincial of Lombardy had the relics examined by X-ray. He was not permitted to open the casket, but photographs from many angles were taken. Almost all the bones are still there after more than seven hundred years. Doctors and anthropologists were able to study them and give an accurate description of the skeleton and physical characteristics of St. Dominic.
A certain Sister Cecilia's description is proved reliable by
the scientific examination. She said he was of medium height — the measurements
show that he was five feet six inches tall. She said, “his figure was supple;
his face handsome and somewhat ruddy; his hair and beard blond with a reddish
tinge. He was not a bit bald [apart from the shaven tonsure], though here and
there in his hair there was a touch of gray.” At the bottom of the reliquary,
the examiners found some shreds of St. Dominic’s hair. It was exactly the color
that Cecilia had said it was. “From his brow and eyes,” she continued, “there
came a radiant splendor which won the respect and admiration of all; his eyes
were large and beautiful.” St. Dominic’s remains show large eye-sockets that
are widely placed, confirming the physical description of Cecilia. With the
scientific measurements and Cecilia’s description, an artist has reconstructed
an image of St. Dominic. At least in size, shape, and proportion, it conforms to
life. “His hands were long and handsome and his voice powerful and sonorous,
and he was always joyous and smiling, except when moved with compassion at the
affliction of his neighbors.” There are very few saints of so long ago whose
personal appearance is so well described. The statue reproduced above is the
image reconstructed from these descriptions. It was sculpted by Carlo Pini in
1946 and is in the Basilica of San Domenico, Bologna, Italy. That is also where
St. Dominic’s remains are entombed.
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