Blessed Reginald of Orleans

Reginald of Orleans, OP (c. 1180 – 30 June 1220) was an Italian Dominican friar and Catholic priest. He was one of the earliest members and a close collaborator of Saint Dominic. After being a professor of canon law at Quartier de la Sorbonne, Paris for many years, Reginald became dean of the collegiate church of Saint-Agnan in Orléans. In 1216, he decided to follow Bishop Manasses de Seignelay who was to meet Pope Honorius III in Rome, before making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. In Rome, he met Cardinal Ugolino di Conti, who later became Pope Gregory IX. The latter introduced him to Dominic de Guzmán, whose ideals on poverty fascinated him. During his stay in Rome, he fell seriously ill, Dominic visited him and prayed for him. Reginald promised him that if he recovered, he would enter the Dominican order. While he was ill, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to Reginald, presenting him with the white Dominican habit and inviting him to wear it. Reginald was cured and took his religious vows before Dominic, who asked him to follow him to Bologna. At the University of Bologna, many students and professors were deeply impressed by Reginald's preaching, including Maestro Moneta and Roland of Cremona, who rushed to the friars on an Ash Wednesday to ask them to enter the Dominican order. A young noblewoman from Bologna, Diana degli Andalò, who had become friends with Reginald, donated the church of San Niccolò delle Vigne (now the Basilica of San Domenico) and its large adjoining plot of land to the Dominican friars so that they could build a convent there. She took Dominican vows and later became prioress of the convent of Sant'Agnese in Bologna, which Dominic and Reginald blessed. Reginald remained in Bologna for almost a year as prior of the Dominican convent, while Dominic was in Spain and France. On his return, he sent Reginald to Paris, where the Order needed his presence.