Jordan of Saxony

Jordan of Saxony (referred to in Latin as Jordanis, also known as de Alamania; c. 1190 – 1237), was a German Catholic priest and one of the first leaders of the Dominican Order. His feast day is February 13.

Life Jordan belonged to the noble German family of the Counts of Eberstein. He was born in the Castle of Borrenstrick, in the diocese of Paderborn. He began his studies in his native land, and was sent to complete them at the University of Paris. While a student he met Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Order of Preachers, and was inspired by the preaching of Reginald of Orleans (also known as Reginald of Saint-Gilles) to join the Dominican Order. He received the habit on Ash Wednesday, 1220. Jordan was a Master of Arts and a grammarian, and taught in the schools of Paris.

In 1221, a General Chapter of the Order held in Bologna appointed Jordan Prior Provincial of Lombardy in Italy.

Master General On 6 August 1221, Dominic died, and in 1222 Jordan was elected as his successor as Master General of the Order of Preachers. He added four new provinces to the eight already existing. Twice he obtained for the Order a chair at the University of Paris and helped to found the University of Toulouse. He established the first general house of studies of the Order.

In addition, Jordan was a spiritual guide to many, including one of the first Dominican nuns, Diana degli Andalò.

Death Jordan died, at the age of forty-seven, in a shipwreck returning from Palestine, where he had been visiting the local monasteries of the Order. The shipwreck occurred off the coast of Syria on 13 February 1237. Jordan was buried in the Dominican Church of St. John in Akko, in present-day Israel.

His feast day is 13 February.

Veneration Jordan of Saxony was beatified by Pope Leo XII in 1825.

Patronage He is venerated as the patron of Dominican vocations. Jordan is honoured as the patron saint of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Santo Tomas, in Manila, which was founded by the Dominican Order. In Colombia, he is honoured as the patron saint of the Colegio Jordan de Sajonia, one of the most important private schools of Bogota.

Legacy Jordan of Saxony is credited with introducing the practice of singing the Salve Regina in procession at the end of Compline, done, it is recorded, to calm the spirits of the Brothers, who were being tried by the Devil.