by Margaux Salcedo
The Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscsans), Fr. Massimo Fusarelli, OFM, visited the Master General of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), Fr. Gerardo Francisco Timoner III, OP, on the Solemnity of St. Dominic.
Incidentally, Fr. Gerard Timoner III is the first Filipino Master General of the Order of Preachers.
This is an annual tradition practiced by Franciscans and Dominicans the world over, reliving the friendship of St. Dominic and St. Francis.
It is believed that Saint Dominic met Saint Francis of Assisi when Saint Dominic went to Rome for the Lateran Council in 1215. Tradition has it that St Francis and St Dominic both received visions that allowed them to recognize each other at the council, so when St Dominic saw St Francis at one of the churches in Rome, he immediately went to greet him, "inspired by the Holy Ghost".
Both of them thereafter established a new kind of religious life that is both mendicant and apostolic. "You are my companion, we will work together, supporting one another toward the same end, and no one will prevail against us," St. Dominic said to St Francis.
For centuries, it has been the custom for Friars Preachers to invite a Friar Minor to preach on the Feast of St Dominic, and vice versa.
In the Philippines, the Eucharistic Celebration for the Solemnity of St Dominic this year was officiated by Rev. Fr. Cielito Almazan, OFM, Minister Provincial of the Franciscans, following the tradition of having the OFM preside for the Feast of St Dominic. In the photo above we see Fr Filemon dela Cruz Jr, Prior Provincial of the Dominicans in the Philippines with Fr. Cielito Almazan, Minister Provincial of the Franciscans in the Philippines.
May this tradition of brotherhood and friendship be felt throughout the world and by all! Happy Feast of St Dominic!