Didacus Ximenes
Encyclopedia
Didacus Ximenes was a Spanish Dominican
of the sixteenth century; noted as a theologian, philosopher, and astronomer; d. 1560.
, and there, before Christmas, 1543, received the habit of the Friars Preachers from the hands of Dominic Soto, then prior of the Dominican convent at Salamanca. The vocation of Ximenes to the religious state seemed miraculous; for, while rector of the College of Cuenca at Salamanca, the king came to esteem him so highly that he was about to honour him with judicial dignity when, all unexpectedly, Ximenes was summoned to the Dominican convent by an unknown priest of the same order, who predicted that in a short time he would give up the practice of law for the religious life in the Order of Preachers.
Although this prediction was received with laughter, it was soon verified. Ximenes obtained the degree of Bachelor (in the Dominican sense) in his province, and on 11 April, 1559, was chosen socius to Bartholomew Carranza, Archbishop of Toledo, and by him sent to Segobia with special letters to the vicar and definitor
s of the provincial chapter gathered there, to dissuade the members of the chapter from re-electing Melchior Cano
as provincial. His efforts, however, were fruitless.
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
of the sixteenth century; noted as a theologian, philosopher, and astronomer; d. 1560.
Biography
He took his licentiate in law at SalamancaSalamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
, and there, before Christmas, 1543, received the habit of the Friars Preachers from the hands of Dominic Soto, then prior of the Dominican convent at Salamanca. The vocation of Ximenes to the religious state seemed miraculous; for, while rector of the College of Cuenca at Salamanca, the king came to esteem him so highly that he was about to honour him with judicial dignity when, all unexpectedly, Ximenes was summoned to the Dominican convent by an unknown priest of the same order, who predicted that in a short time he would give up the practice of law for the religious life in the Order of Preachers.
Although this prediction was received with laughter, it was soon verified. Ximenes obtained the degree of Bachelor (in the Dominican sense) in his province, and on 11 April, 1559, was chosen socius to Bartholomew Carranza, Archbishop of Toledo, and by him sent to Segobia with special letters to the vicar and definitor
Definitor
A definitor is, in Latin, he who defines. In the Catholic Church, however, this is a title with different specific uses. There are secular definitors, who have a limited amount of oversight over a part of a diocese...
s of the provincial chapter gathered there, to dissuade the members of the chapter from re-electing Melchior Cano
Melchior Cano
Melchior Cano was a Spanish Scholastic theologian.-Clerical life:He was born in Tarancón, New Castile, and joined the Dominican Order in Salamanca, where by 1546 he had succeeded Francisco de Vitoria to the theological chair in the university. A man of deep learning and originality, proud and a...
as provincial. His efforts, however, were fruitless.
Works
- Calendarium perpetuum, sive Ordo recitandi divini officii juxta ritum Ordinis Praedicatorum (Salamanca, 1563; Antwerp, 1566)
- De eruditione religiosorum, in Spanish.