Jacobus de Voragine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blessed Jacobus de Voragine |
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Jacobus de Voragine with the Golden Legend in his hand, fresco by Ottaviano Nelli, chapel of Trinci Palace, Foligno, Italy
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| Born | c. 1230 Varagine, Republic of Genoa (present-day Varazze, Italy) |
| Died | 13 or 16 July 1298 or 1299 Genoa, Republic of Genoa (present-day Italy) |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 11 May 1816, Genoa by Pope Pius VII |
| Feast | 13 July |
Jacobus de Voragine (born around 1230, died 1298 or 1299) was an important Italian writer. He was also the archbishop of Genoa, a major city in Italy.
Jacobus is best known for writing the Golden Legend. This book is a large collection of stories about the lives of many saints. It was one of the most popular religious books during the Middle Ages.
Biography
Jacobus de Voragine was born in either Varazze or Genoa, Italy. In 1244, he joined the Dominican Order, which is a group of Catholic priests and brothers.
He became a leader, called a prior, in different cities like Como, Bologna, and Asti. Jacobus was a very good speaker and teacher. He preached in many parts of Italy and taught in his order's schools.
From 1267 to 1286, he was the leader for the Dominican Order in the Lombardy region. He also attended important meetings, called councils, for his order.
In 1292, Pope Nicholas IV wanted Jacobus to become the archbishop of Genoa. Sadly, the Pope died shortly after Jacobus arrived in Rome. However, the other church leaders still decided to make Jacobus the archbishop.
As archbishop, Jacobus was known for being a good leader. He worked hard to bring peace to Genoa. At that time, the city was divided by two rival groups, the Guelfs and the Ghibellines. Jacobus tried to help them stop fighting.
He passed away in 1298 or 1299. He was buried in a Dominican church in Genoa. In 1816, Pope Pius VII declared him "Blessed," which is a step towards becoming a saint.
His Writings
Jacobus de Voragine wrote many books during his life. He even made a list of his own works.
The Golden Legend
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The Golden Legend is Jacobus' most famous work. It is a large collection of stories about the lives of many Christian saints. The book was incredibly popular in the Middle Ages. People loved reading about the amazing things saints did.
The book is divided into sections that follow the church year. It includes stories about miracles and events related to the saints.
The Golden Legend was translated into many languages. These included Catalan, French, Italian, Czech, English, and German. Many copies were printed soon after the printing press was invented. This shows how widely read it was.
Other Works
Jacobus also wrote several collections of Sermons. These were speeches or lessons he gave. They were almost as popular as the Golden Legend.
He also wrote a book called Marialis. This book had about 160 speeches about the Virgin Mary.
Another important work was his Chronicon januense. This book tells the history of his home city, Genoa. It covers everything from the city's mythical beginnings to his own time as archbishop.
Marian Views
Jacobus de Voragine wrote a lot about the Virgin Mary. His sermons and writings on Mary are very important for understanding how people viewed her in the Middle Ages.
He wrote about miracles connected to Mary. He also explained local customs for special days dedicated to her. These writings help us learn about old traditions that no longer exist.
Jacobus was one of the first Christian writers to see Mary as a "mediator." This means he believed she helped connect God and humanity. He thought of her as the "neck" through which all good things flow from Christ to people.
Images for kids
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Jacobus de Voragine with the Golden Legend in his hand, fresco by Ottaviano Nelli, chapel of Trinci Palace, Foligno, Italy
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Legenda aurea (1499 edition)
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An old copy of the Legenda Aurea from the 15th century.
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Title page of a 1497 edition of the Sermones de sanctis. It shows Jacobus as a preacher.
See also
In Spanish: Santiago de la Vorágine para niños
