Alexandre Vincent Jandel (born in

Gerbéviller Gerbéviller () is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France. It is 33 km (as the crow flies) south east of Nancy and 73 km south-south-east of Metz. Culturally and historically, it is part of Lorraine. ...

Lorraine Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...

, 18 July 1810; died in Rome, 11 December 1872) was a French Dominican, who became

Master of the Order of Preachers The Master of the Order of Preachers is the Superior General of the Order of Preachers, commonly known as the Dominican Order, Dominicans. The Master of the Order of Preachers is ''ex officio'' Chancellor (education), Grand Chancellor of the Pont ...

. After a college course at Nancy, he entered the diocesan seminary there. He was ordained priest on 20 September 1834, then appointed professor of Scripture, and soon afterwards rector of the seminary at

Pont-à-Mousson Pont-à-Mousson () is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France. Its inhabitants are known as ''Mussipontains'' in French. It is an industrial town (mainly steel industry), situated on the river Moselle. Pont-à-Mou ...

. At this time he became acquainted with figures including Bautain, Gerbet,

Maria Alphonse Ratisbonne Father Ratisbonne in 1865 Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne, NDS (1 May 1814, Strasbourg, Alsace, France – 6 May 1884, Ein Karem, Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire) was a French Jew who converted to Christianity and became a Jesuit priest and ...

, and

Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire Jean-Baptiste Henri-Dominique Lacordaire, OP (; 12 May 1802 – 21 November 1861), often styled Henri-Dominique Lacordaire, was a French Catholic priest, journalist, theologian and political activist. He re-established the Dominican Order in ...

. Such was the impression made on him by Lacordaire, that he began to think of entering the

Dominican Order The Order of Preachers (, abbreviated OP), commonly known as the Dominican Order, is a Catholic Church, Catholic mendicant order of pontifical right that was founded in France by a Castilians, Castilian priest named Saint Dominic, Dominic de Gu ...

, hoping to restore it in France, where it had been destroyed by the French Revolution. In 1839 he therefore went to Rome, consulted

Pope Gregory XVI Pope Gregory XVI (; ; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in June 1846. He had adopted the name Mauro upon enteri ...

on the matter, and finally received the habit on 15 May 1841. Two years afterwards Jandel and Lacordaire commenced the work of re-establishing their order in France. The

Catholic Encyclopedia ''The'' ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'', also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedi ...

describes Jandel as "a ruler of men: calm, grave, sagacious, tenacious of traditions and customs, and pre-eminently practical", and recounts story in which a sermon at

Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

on the power of the Cross led to Jandel being challenged by a

Freemason Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

to prove the truth of his words in the lodge; Jandel supposedly entered it, produced his crucifix, and made the sign of the cross, instantly extinguishing the lights, throwing about the furniture, and causing the occupants to flee. Many persons in France placed themselves under his guidance.

Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX (; born Giovanni Maria Battista Pietro Pellegrino Isidoro Mastai-Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878. His reign of nearly 32 years is the longest verified of any pope in hist ...

, however, called him to Rome, and made him in 1850 vicar-general of the order ''ad beneplacitum'', and in 1855 general for six years. Under Jandel's stewardship, several provinces of his order were re-established, and houses opened everywhere. He also contributed to the growth of the second and third orders of Dominican nuns, promoted devotion to the

rosary The Rosary (; , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), formally known as the Psalter of Jesus and Mary (Latin: Psalterium Jesu et Mariae), also known as the Dominican Rosary (as distinct from other forms of rosary such as the ...

, and propagated the doctrine of

Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas ( ; ; – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican Order, Dominican friar and Catholic priest, priest, the foremost Scholasticism, Scholastic thinker, as well as one of the most influential philosophers and theologians in the W ...

. Such were the services he rendered to the

Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...

especially as regarded the

Zouaves The Zouaves () were a class of light infantry regiments of the French Army and other units modelled on it, which served between 1830 and 1962, and served in French North Africa. The zouaves were among the most decorated units of the French Army ...

, that Pius IX, who was warmly attached to him, intended to make him a cardinal; but he was elected general of the order, on 7 June 1862. He visited Ireland twice, and only weak health prevented him from visiting America. New editions of

liturgical book A liturgical book, or service book, is a book published by the authority of a church body that contains the text and directions for the liturgy of its official Church service, religious services. Christianity Roman Rite In the Roman Rite of ...

s and of the "constitutions" or legislation formed part of his characteristic work. He also paid great attention to foreign missions. During his term of office sixteen Dominicans were beatified or canonized. He presided at two chapters of the order, and the ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' considers him one of its greatest generals.

References

*Cormier, ''Vie du Révérendissime Père Jandel, soixante-troisième Maître Général des Frères Prêcheurs'' (Paris, 1890)

External links

*
Biography
newadvent.org. Accessed 23 February 2024. {{DEFAULTSORT:Jandel, Alexandre Vincent 1810 births 1872 deaths French Dominicans Masters of the Order of Preachers