Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them;
we will come to them and make our dwelling with them, alleluia.

ceslaus

Today the Dominican Order celebrates the feast of Blessed Ceslaus of Poland, who knew St. Dominic and entered the Order of Preachers under his direction. Together with his brother, St. Hyacinth, Ceslaus helped to found the Order in Eastern Europe.

From the Catholic Encyclopedia:

Born at Kamien in Silesia, Poland, about 1184; died at Breslau about 1232. Ceslaus was of the noble family of Odrowatz and a relative, probably a brother, of St. Hyacinth.  Having studied philosophy at Prague, he pursued his theological and juridical studies at the University of Bologna, after which he returned to Cracow, where he held the office of canon and custodian of the church of Sandomir.  About 1218 he accompanied his uncle Ivo, Bishop of Cracow, to Rome.  Hearing of the great sanctity of St. Dominic, who had recently raised to life the nephew of Cardinal Orsini, Ceslaus, together with St. Hyacinth, sought admission into the Order of Friars Preachers.  They received the religious habit from the hands of St. Dominic in the convent of Sabina. Their novitiate completed, St. Dominic sent they two young religious back as missionaries to their own country.  Establishing a monastery at Friesach in Austria, they proceeded to Cracow whence Ceslaus was sent by St. Hyacinth to Prague, the metropolis of Bohemia.

Laboring with much fruit throughout the Diocese of Prague, Ceslaus went to Breslau, where he founded a large monastery, and then extended his apostolic labors over a vast territory, embracing Bohemia, Poland, Pomerania, and Saxony.  Sometime after the death of St. Hyacinth he was chosen provincial of Poland.  Whilst he was superior of the convent of Breslau all Poland was threatened by the Tatars.  The city of Breslau being besieged, the people sought the aid of Celaus, who by his prayers miraculously averted the impending calamity.  Four persons are said to have been raised to life by him. Having always been venerated as a saint, his cult was finally confirmed by Clement XI in 1713.  His feast his celebrated throughout the Dominican Order on July 16.

For more on the life of Blessed Ceslaus, click here and here.

Loving God,
you gave Blessed Ceslaus
a burning zeal for the salvation of souls,
and filled him with wondrous grace to preach the gospel.
May we be true to his example,
and so be able to spread the faith
by our preaching and by the way we live.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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