Dominguito del Val facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saint Dominguito del Val
Dominguito's martyrdom
Martyr
Born	unknown Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
Died	c. 1250 Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church, Folk Catholicism
Beatified	12 May 1807
Feast	31 August
Patronage	Altar boys, acolytes and choirboys

Dominguito del Val (died around 1250) was a legendary child from Medieval Spain. He was a choirboy in Zaragoza (Saragossa). A story claimed he was killed by Jewish people.

This story is known as the first "blood libel" in Spain. A "blood libel" is a false accusation. It claims that Jewish people ritually murder Christian children. These stories became popular in the 12th and 13th centuries. They led to unfair treatment and antisemitic acts against Jewish communities.

Saint Dominguito is no longer on the official Roman Catholic calendar. But a chapel in the cathedral of Zaragoza is still named after him. There is little historical proof about Dominguito. Most of what we know comes from these old stories and legends.

The Legend of Dominguito

The real history behind Dominguito's story is not clear. No writings from the Middle Ages mention this legend. The first texts telling his tale appeared in 1583. This was over 300 years after the events supposedly happened.

The story seems to be similar to the legend of Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln. That story was collected by a writer named Fray Alonso de Espina. Some accounts say that King Alfonso X of Castile wrote an early version in 1250. He supposedly wrote: "We have heard that some very cruel Jews... kidnapped a Christian boy and crucified him."

Dominguito's Story

According to the legend, Dominguito was born in Zaragoza. He became an altar boy and chorister at La Seo cathedral. This was because he had a beautiful singing voice.

The story says he disappeared on August 31, 1250. He was only seven years old at the time. Some months later, boatmen found a body in the Ebro river. It was said to be Dominguito's.

The legend claims that a Jewish man named Albayuceto tricked Dominguito. He supposedly took the boy to a house in the Jewish quarter. There, the boy was nailed to a cross and tortured until he died. To hide the body, they cut off his head and feet. Then, they buried the body by the Ebro River.

Later, the child's bones were placed in the cathedral. In the chapel of Santo Dominguito del Val, they are still seen as holy relics. Dominguito is still honored as a saint. His feast day is celebrated on August 31 in the diocese of Zaragoza.

Similar Stories

This story is like others from medieval Europe. These tales often falsely accused Jewish people of harming children. Such stories showed the growing antisemitism during the Middle Ages. Antisemitism is hatred or prejudice against Jewish people.

In the Middle Ages, people often blamed Jewish communities for bad things. This included bad weather or droughts. These false stories were sometimes used to justify harsh actions against Jewish people.

See also