St.
Hyacinth
DOMINICAN MISSIONARY
Feast: August 17
 Information:
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Dominican, called the Apostle of the North, son
of Eustachius Konski of the noble family of Odrowaz; born 1185 at the castle
of Lanka, at Kamin, in Silesia, Poland (now Prussia); died 15 August, 1257,
at Cracow. Feast, 16 Aug. A near relative of Saint Ceslaus, he made his
studies at Cracow, Prague, and Bologna, and at the latter place merited the
title of Doctor of Law and Divinity. On his return to Poland he was given a
prebend at Sandomir. He subsequently accompanied his uncle Ivo Konski, the
Bishop of Cracow, to Rome, where he met St. Dominic, and was one of the first
to receive at his hands (at Santa Sabina, 1220) the habit of the newly
established Order of Friars Preachers. After his novitiate he made his
religious profession, and was made superior of the little band of
missionaries sent to Poland to preach. On the way he was able to establish a
convent of his order at Friesach in Carinthia. In Poland the new preachers
were favourably received and their sermons were productive of much good.
Hyacinth founded communities at Sandomir, Cracow, and at Plocko on the
Vistula in Moravia. He extended his missionary work through Prussia,
Pomerania, and Lithuania; then crossing the Baltic Sea he preached in
Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. He came into Lower or Red Russia, establishing a
community at Lemberg and at Haletz on the Mester; proceeded into Muscovy, and
founded a convent at Dieff, and came as far as the shores of the Black Sea.
He then returned to Cracow, which he had made the centre of his operations.
On the morning of 15 August he attended Matins and Mass, received the last
sacraments, and died a saintly death. God glorified His servant by numberless
miracles, the record of which fills many folio pages of the Acta SS., August,
III, 309. He was canonized by Pope Clement VIII in 1594. A portion of his
relics is at the Dominican church in Paris.
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