Dominic Luccari
This is part 27 in a series on Daniel Farlati’s Illyricum Sacrum.
Dominic Luccari came from a prominant Spalatan family. Prior to becoming Archbishop he served as Archdeacon. His election was contested by the church Canons, until Dominic personally traveled to Avignon to meet with Pope John XXII. His original intent was to offer to renounce his right to the office, but John was impressed by Dominic and decided to appoint him to the position. He became Archbishop in 1328, holding the position for 19 years.
the Cuthei catalog says that he was both devoted to the church and lived pompously (vixit pompacite). Marcus Dumaneus in his catalogue makes the same comparison, saying he lived splendidly but was kind and loved the church.
He did many things to enhance the local church. He preserved the diplomas of church land grants given by Croatian and Hungarian kings into a single volume called the Montaneum. Farlati believes he helped in funding the construction of the tower on the church of Saint Domnius. He devised a system of dealing with ecclesiastical affairs, dividing the city in to four regions, appointing 100 from each region to act as council for their area.
Relics of the Church of St. Dominus.
in 1342 a catalogue of the church’s treasury and relics were compiled. The following items are documented.
- Several silver and gold gilded crosses.
- A gilded cross with a fragment of the true cross and fragments from Mary’s tomb.
- A bronze cross with six crystals.
- A silver two bar cross1.
- Varius filigrees.
- A silver dove containing a fragment of Christ’s clothing.
- Various silverware.
- Various rings.
- A silver gilded bust of Christ, said to contain fragments of the holy Shroud2.
- A silver gilded bust containing relics of Saint Lawrence and Saint Vincent.
- A silver gilded bust containing relics of John the Baptist.
- A silver bust containing relics of the apostle James.
- Relics of Saint Domnius.
- Relics of Saint Anastasius
- A small container containing relics of Saint Stephen.
- A silver bust containg relics of the Innocents3, along with 3 icons also containing their relics.
- Two gilded silver angels holding a crystal capsule with relics of the true cross.
- A silk cloth with a decorative border4.
- A crystal surrounded by gilded silver, containing The Virgin Mary’s milk5.
- A Silver gilded box with one crystal, containing the relics of the apostles Philip and James.
- A silver capsule with the relics of the apostle Peter.
- A crystal surrounded by silver, containing the relics of Mary Magdalene.
- A Staurotheke6 containing fragments of the True Cross.
- A Crystal vial containing the garment of Tobias7.
- Various silver boxes containing relics from the following: John the Baptist, Saint Barbara, Saint Martin, Saint Lawrence, Saint Christopher, Sainta Cosmas and Damian, the Apostle Bartholomew, Saint Blaise, Saint Nicholas, John chrysostem8, Saint Helena, Saint Catherine, Saint Margaret, Sainy Lucy, Mary Magdalene.
- A silver box containing fragments from the tomb of the Lord.
- An image of John the Evangelist along with his relics.
- An image of Saint Catharine along with her relics.
- A casket with relics and the Savior’s garment.
- Silver fingers with relics of the following: James, Andrew, Luke, Blaise, Pope Gregory the Great, Cosmas, Damian, Bartholomew, Simon, Paul, Simonis Judae, Gregory, Jonah the prophet, Theodore.
- Various books covered with silver.
- Various ivory icons / boxes.
- Various liturgical garments9.
Provincial Council of 1344.
George Maldeorigus, the count of Omiš, was in agreement with the church to collect the tithes in a town called Stagninae. George however, did not send any money to the church. Dominic wrote to Valtentinus, the bishop of Makarska, to impose an interdict on the city. Valentinus, perhaps attempting to be seen favorably in the eys of George, refused. A council was called in Spalato to deal with the matter and both George and Valentinus were excommunicated.
Valentinus continued to dispute with the Spalatan church. He appealed to Rome that Omiš was not under the jurisdiction of Spalato, but eventually dropped the matter. Dominic eventually reinstated him in to the church, giving him the rights to a monastary on the island of Svetac. He also promised to help him with reclaiming Makarska, which the Catholic church had lost control of to the Bosnians.
Death.
A short time later the Plague reached Spalato and Dominic died. He had served as Archbishop nearly 20 years.
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Crucellam argenteam deauratam cum duobus brachiis. Otherwise known as a Patriarchal Cross or the Cross of Lorraine. The Hungarian king Béla III adopted this style of cross in the 12th century and to this day is still used on the Hungarian coat of arms. ↩︎
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caput argenteum deauratum de Christo cum reliquiis de Sudario Domini. ↩︎
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Reliquiis Innocentium. Relics of the children mentioned killed by Herod in Matthew 2:16. ↩︎
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mapulam de plath. de seta et frisatam cum friseo. ↩︎
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in quo est de lacte Virginis. Relics of this kind became popular in this era after many Europeans went and returned from the Crusades. The Chapel of the Milk Grotto in Bethlehem is according to legend a location where Mary hid from Herod’s massacre before fleeing to Egypt. The legend says the floor of the cave turned white after a drop of milk fell on it. ↩︎
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unam anchonellam argenteam deauratam. I find no other usages of the word outside this document, it may be a regional word based on the greek εἰκών (eikon). ↩︎
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Likely Tobias the son of Tobit. The author calls him Tobiae prophetae. ↩︎
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S. Johannes Os auri. ↩︎
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for example: unum pluviale album cum lista frisi. Several Chasubles (planeta) are also listed. ↩︎