ST. HYACINTH

Feast day 17 August

Hyacinth was born in 1185 to a noble Silesian family in Kammien or Grosstien. As the son of rich parents the world was at his feet, he was educated at Prague and Bologna and could have pursued many careers, but when his uncle, the bishop of Cracow called him, he chose the church. His uncle appointed him a canon and in 1220 took him to Rome on church business. It was here that Hyacinth met Dominic, a man who was to influence the young canon for the rest of his life. It was said that he was dramatically converted by Dominic who presented the Dominican habit to him at San Sabina, Rome. Dominic saw in Hyacinth, a first generation Dominican an important link in the order’s expansion into eastern and northern Europe.

Hyacinth proved to be an effective and devout preacher of the Gospel when he returned to Cracow and brought many closer to God. He preached throughout Poland and founded five houses of his Order, these became great centres for learning and preaching in the towns where they were built. Hyacinth sent out missionaries north to Gdansk and eastwards along the Vistula. Reports that he and his monks went as far as Scandinavia, Lithuania and Russia are doubtful and probably have more to do with the epic sagas, much beloved by the northern peoples, than historical fact and once the Mongols invaded in 1238 all Christian missionary work ceased.

Hyacinth, who was also known as Iazech died on the 15th August, 1257 and is buried in the Dominican church in Cracow. This great Christian missionary and teacher was canonised in 1594.

John Hayward