Didacus of Azevedo, Bl.
DIDACUS OF AZEVEDO, BL.
Bishop of Osma, Old Castile; d. Dec. 30, 1207. As prior, Didacus (Diego de Acebes) collaborated with Bp. Martin Bazan in transforming the cathedral chapter of Osma into a chapter of canons regular; St. dominic was elected his subprior. Didacus was chosen bishop of Osma in 1201. In 1203, and again in 1205, with Dominic as companion, he went to Denmark to negotiate the marriage of Ferdinand, son of Alphonsus VIII. In 1206, after innocent iii had refused him permission to resign his bishopric to preach to the Cumans, he reorganized the preaching against the albigenses on the pattern of Christ and the Apostles, a plan that was later fully realized in the Order of Preachers (see dominicans). He established a community of women at Prouille, which later became the order's first monastery.
Feast: Feb. 6.
Bibliography: jordan of saxony, Libellus de principiis ordinis Praedicatorum, ed. h. c. scheeben, Monumenta Ordinis Fratrum Praedicatorum historica 16 (1935) 31–40. a. lambert, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques 5:1343. g. gieraths, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche 2 3:370.
[j. f. quigley]