The Dominicans (The Order of Preachers)

The Dominicans, also known as the Order of Preachers or the Preaching Friars (O.P.), are a religious community founded in 1215 in Toulouse by Saint Dominic for “preaching and the salvation of souls.” Their primary mission is to proclaim the Gospel—the Truth offered by Christ to all people. Following the Rule of Saint Augustine, the Dominicans are members of the mendicant orders, just like the Franciscans. Discover with Hozana in this article who the Dominicans are and everything you need to know about their order.

A Dominican is a religious who has decided to follow Christ in the manner of Saint Dominic to respond to the call to holiness. To do so, he joins the Order of Preachers (O.P.), better known as the Dominicans. A Dominican lives in community with other preaching friars within a monastery. A Dominican friar’s life is divided primarily between apostolic ministry, community life, prayer, and study. A Dominican friar belongs to a Province and may be assigned to different monasteries within the Province throughout his life, or even be seconded to another Province, with the agreement of both provincials. A Dominican is therefore a man who is mobile for the mission, unlike a monk, who generally takes a vow of stability.

Unlike other religious, a Dominican takes only one vow—that of obedience—although it should be noted that the vows of poverty and chastity are implicitly included. The vast majority of Dominicans are priests, while a minority are lay brothers.

Present on all five continents, the Dominicans are organized into Provinces, each of which is autonomous (for example, the Province of France).

What are the characteristics and charisms of the Dominicans?

The pursuit and preaching of the truth

The preaching of the Truth (VERITAS) of Christ for the salvation of souls is a major component of a Dominican’s mission, as exemplified by St. Thomas Aquinas. But the search for truth also continues in Dominican life, where every brother is called to seek and follow it. For example, this quest continues within the community, particularly through sharing.

Following meditation on the Word of God and contemplation of the Incarnate Word (Christ) in prayer, Dominicans preach the truth to every man and woman of good will.

The Habit

Another characteristic of a Dominican is his distinctive habit. A Dominican is recognizable by his white attire, consisting of three pieces: 

• A tunic or robe, fastened with a leather belt, which holds a rosary.
• A scapular: a sleeveless piece of fabric that falls over the chest and back.
• A cowl: a piece of fabric resting on the shoulders, which includes a hood.

The Liturgy

The Dominican liturgy is characterized by community, solemnity, sobriety, and simplicity. Every day, the friars gather to celebrate, in addition to Mass, three communal offices: Lauds, Midday Prayer, and Vespers. Regarding simplicity and sobriety, the Book of Constitutions and Ordinances of the Dominicans states: “By the very will of St. Dominic, the solemn and communal celebration of the liturgy must be regarded as one of the principal duties required by our vocation.” and that “our celebrations shall be marked by simplicity and moderation.”

In Dominican life, during the provincial chapter—which serves, among other things, to elect a leader, known as the provincial, for a specific province (such as the Province of France)—no one may declare themselves a candidate, nor may anyone vote for themselves. An election is based in particular on the tractatus, the moment when each voter expresses their views on the brothers whose names have been put forward for election. A Dominican province is headed by a provincial prior, supported by a provincial council generally composed of twelve brothers. A prior has, in particular, an assistant who helps him with his governance duties, and a regent of studies, whose role is to promote and oversee the intellectual life of the province.

The Dominican Family

In addition to the friars preachers—who, as we have seen, are predominantly priests living in monasteries—the Dominican family also includes:

• Dominican nuns, devoted solely to contemplation
• Other female religious communities
• Lay fraternities, which allow laypeople to live out the Dominican spirituality and, at times, to gather together for times of fellowship and prayer
• Priestly fraternities, which allow diocesan priests to live according to this spirituality

What does a Dominican do during the day?

The life of the Dominican friars is based primarily on four pillars: community life, prayer (contemplation), study, and preaching.

Community Life

A Dominican lives in a friary. In the Province of France, for example, each friary is home to between six and thirty Dominican friars, under the authority of a “prior.” Through the vow of poverty, they pool their income. In addition, they gather three times a day for the celebration of the liturgy.

Prayer

Life in the friary is structured around communal prayer. The friars therefore gather in the church, particularly for Mass and the two main daily services: Lauds and Vespers. Communal prayer builds the local community and reinforces the meaning of each Dominican’s vocation.

The search for truth leads Dominicans to study in order to transmit and preserve the deposit of faith. The beginning of Dominican life is marked by the acquisition of basic concepts in philosophy and theology, but formation continues throughout one’s life (ongoing formation), since it nourishes preaching. The convent library and the cell (room) are the two main places where a Dominican friar engages in study.

Preaching

Contemplation (prayer), study, and communal life are ordered toward preaching—in other words, toward proclaiming the Word of God. Creating the essential conditions for friendship, through dialogue and encounter, are important foundations for the Dominicans. Preaching can take many varied and limitless forms, which we will explore later in this article.

Dominican Friars Around the World

Dominicans are present on every continent.

Dominicans in Europe

As of 2024, the Dominicans in Europe are organized into provinces and are present in the following countries, among others:

• Germany
• England
• Austria
• Belgium
• Croatia
• Spain
• France (2 Provinces)
• Ireland
• Italy (3 Provinces)
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Czech Republic
• Slovakia
• Switzerland

The Dominicans in the Americas

In 2024, the Dominicans in the Americas are organized into provinces and are present in the following countries, among others:

• Central America
• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Canada
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• United States (4 Provinces)
• Mexico
• Peru

The Dominicans in Oceania

As of 2024, the Dominicans in Oceania are present in Australia and New Zealand.

Dominicans in Asia

In 2024, the Dominicans in Asia are organized into a Province and are present in the following countries, among others:

• India
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Taiwan
• Vietnam
• Our Lady of the Rosary Province (South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, etc.).

The Dominicans in Africa

As of 2024, the Dominicans in Africa are organized into a Province and are present in the following countries, among others:

• Nigeria
• Congo
• Southern Africa Province
• St. Augustine Province of West Africa

What can the Dominicans offer us?

The Dominicans can teach us, in particular, the importance of combining the search for truth with witness.

The search for truth

In contrast to relativism—which is based, in particular, on the premise that “everything is of equal value”—the Dominicans can remind us of the importance of each of us seeking the truth.

There is the Truth taught to us by the Bible, particularly through Christ, the “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6), but there are also other truths to seek: the truth regarding one’s vocation, the truth regarding what the Church teaches on specific doctrines, such as the Trinity, the Resurrection, sin, etc. In addition to the search for truth, the Dominicans can instill in us a love of study and reading—of the Word of God, the Roman Magisterium, the lives of the saints, and so on—in short, a desire to deepen our formation.

The Importance of Witness

The Dominican friars, who devote their lives to proclaiming the Gospel, can also remind us of the importance of preaching. In other words, the life of every baptized person is a form of preaching. As we saw in our article “Priest, Prophet, and King,” by virtue of our baptism and our role as prophets, every baptized person is called to preach the Good News of Christ wherever they may be.

Here are some notable Dominican figures to discover:

• Saint Dominic
• Saint Martin de Porres
• Saint Thomas Aquinas
• Saint Vincent Ferrier

Let’s Live by the Truth with Hozana

With Hozana, let us live with the One who is the Truth: Christ. Let us follow the example of the Dominicans by first grounding ourselves in prayer. To this end, we offer several resources, such as a short meditation on the Gospel of the day and the daily Mass readings.