Every August 8th we celebrate Santo Domingo de Guzmanand that is why we share with you a story of how the founder of the Dominicans defeated the devil with the power of the Holy Rosary that gave him the Virgin Mary.
Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, who spread devotion to the Virgin Mary and was persecuted by the devil all his life, narrated in his book The Admirable Secret of the Most Holy Rosary how Saint Domingo de Guzmán expelled thousands of demons.
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He related that one day the saint was preaching about the Holy Rosary and they brought him a man who was possessed by the devil. The saint exorcised the Albigensian heretic in the presence of a large group of people.
During the exorcism, Saint Dominic asked the demons several questions and they, out of obligation, told him that there were 15 thousand that were in that man’s body because the heretic had attacked the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.
It is necessary to highlight that the luminous mysteries, with which they increase to 20, were only introduced in 2002 by Saint John Paul II.
The demons told Saint Dominic that with the Rosary that he preached, he caused terror and fear throughout hell, and that he was the man they hated the most in the world because of the souls that he took from them with this Marian devotion.
Then the founder of the Dominicans threw his Rosary around the neck of the possessed man and asked them which of the saints they feared the most and which should be most loved and honored by men. When asked, the demons screamed so horribly that many of the witnesses fainted from fright.
In order not to respond, the fallen angels cried, lamented and through the mouth of the possessed man asked Saint Dominic to have mercy on them. But the saint, without flinching, replied that he would not stop tormenting them until they answered him.
Then, the demons said they would say it, but secretly, in the ear and not in front of everyone. The saint, however, ordered them to speak loud and strong, but the devils refused.
Then the saint knelt and prayed the following prayer: “O most excellent Virgin Mary, by the virtue of your psaltery and Rosary, command these enemies of the human race to answer my question.”
Suddenly, a burning flame came out of the possessed man’s ears, nose and mouth. The demons begged Saint Dominic many times that through the Passion of Jesus Christ and through the merits of his Holy Mother and all the saints, he would allow them to leave that body without saying anything, because the angels would reveal to him what he wanted to know when he I’d like.
The saint knelt again and prayed the following: “O most worthy Mother of Wisdom, about whose salutation, in what way it should be prayed, this people is now instructed, I pray you for the health of the faithful here present that you oblige these your enemies to openly confess here the complete and sincere truth.”
As soon as he finished pronouncing these words, the saint saw near him a multitude of angels and the Virgin Mary, who was hitting the demon with a golden rod while saying: “Answer my servant Dominic’s question.” It should be noted that only Saint Dominic could see and hear the Virgin.
The demons began to shout the following: “O our enemy! Oh our ruin and confusion! Why did you come from heaven to torment us in such a cruel way? Is it necessary that for you, oh advocate of sinners, who you bring out of hell; oh safe way to heaven!, let us be forced – in spite of ourselves – to confess before everyone what is the cause of our confusion and ruin? Woe to us! Curse our princes of darkness!
“Hear then, Christians! This Mother of Christ is omnipotent and can prevent her servants from falling into hell. She, like a sun, dispels the darkness of our cunning machinations. She uncovers our intrigues, breaks our networks and reduces the all our temptations are useless. We are forced to confess that no one who perseveres in his service is condemned with us,” said the demons.
“A single sigh that she presents to the Holy Trinity is worth more than all the prayers, vows and wishes of all the saints. We fear her more than all the blessed together and we can do nothing against her faithful servants,” they added.
Furthermore, the demons confessed that many Christians who invoke her when dying and who should be condemned, according to ordinary laws, are saved thanks to her intercession.
“Ah! If this Marieta – as they called her in her fury – had not opposed our designs and efforts, we would have long ago overthrown and destroyed the Church and precipitated all its hierarchies into error and infidelity!” they shouted.
“No one who perseveres in praying the Rosary will be condemned. Because she obtains for her faithful devotees true contrition for sins, so that they may confess them and obtain forgiveness and indulgence for them,” they added.
Next, Saint Dominic had the Rosary prayed very slowly and with devotion to all the people present. At each Hail Mary prayed, a multitude of demons came out of the body of the possessed man in the form of burning coals.
When all the enemies left and the heretic was free, the Virgin Mary, invisibly, gave her blessing to all the people, who experienced great joy.
“This miracle was the cause of the conversion of a large number of heretics, who even enrolled in the Brotherhood of the Holy Rosary,” concluded Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort.
Abel Camasca
Journalist graduated from the Communication Sciences degree at the University of Lima. He has been part of the ACI Prensa journalistic team since 2014. Between 2016 and 2022 he was in charge of the production of the television program EWTN Noticias and Más que Noticias, a World Catholic Radio program. He often writes articles about the lives of saints.