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Thursday, February 19, 2009

Blessed Alvarez of Cordova

Born at Zamora, Spain, towards the middle of the fourteenth century, Blessed Alvarez entered the Order in 1368. He preached throughout Spain and Italy and established the priory of Scala Caeli at Cordova where he promoted the regular life. By his preaching and contemplation of the Lord's Passion he spread the practice of the Way of the Cross throughout the West. He died on February 19, about the year 1430.
Many miraculous events are attributed to him, such as:
  • Angels are reported to have helped built Escalaceli, a Dominican house of strict observance he founded, moving stone and wooden building materials to the site during the night, placing them where workmen could easily get them during the day.
  • Once when the entire food stocks for the house consisted of a single head of lettuce, he gathered all the brothers at table, gave thanks for the meal, and sent the porter to the door; the porter found a stranger leading a mule loaded with food. After unloading the mule, the stranger and the animal disappeared.
  • Alvarez once found a beggar dying alone in the street. He wrapped the poor man in his own cloak, and carried him back to Escalaceli. When he arrived at the house and unwrapped the cloak, instead of man, he found a crucifix. It still hangs in Escalaceli.
  • A bell in the chapel with Alvarez's relics rings by itself just before the death of anyone in the house.
  • Attempts were made to move Alvarez's relics to Cordova, but each try led to violent storms that kept the travelers bottled up until they gave up their task, leave the bones where they are.

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