Martinus Dom

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Martinus Dom around 1870

Martinus Dom, born Frans Daniël Dom, (Kontich, 24 December 1791-Westmalle, 9 December 1873), was the first abbot of the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle and founded the Trappist brewery. He was a son of Jan Frans Dom, a cattle merchant, and Elisabeth Van Berckelaer. He was baptised on Christmas day 1791, the day after his birth, in the Church of Saint Martin in Kontich.

1 Early life
2 Abbot of the abbey
3 Source
4 External links

[edit] Early life

As a young man he serves as a fourrier in the French army of Napoleon. After the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, he returns home to everyday life. He becomes a notorious partygoer and becomes engaged, but his life is in turmoil after some brawls at home. He decides to go on pilgrimage to the Church of Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Van Goede Wil in Duffel to help him decide whether he should marry or enter the Trappist convent of Westmalle. The story goes that he let fate decide by throwing his hat up in the air, and when it should fall with the opening up (go to Westmalle) or the opening down (ask for forgiveness and marry). The hat falls... with the opening up and he goes to the Trappist priory of Westmalle, where they don’t take him serious at first. But on 11 November 1817, feast day of the patron saint Saint Martin, of Kontich and Westmalle, he enters the convent. In 1817, he takes his vows and on 23 December 1820 he is ordained a priest; he is given the name Martinus. He becomes one of the teachers of the orphan boys who are educated in the abbey. In 1826 he is elected prior of the priory (the first elected prior), which he would remain until 1836 when he was elected abbot.

[edit] Abbot of the abbey

In 1836, the priory of Westmalle obtains the status of abbey by Pope Gregory XVI. On 14 July 1836, already prior of the convent, Martinus is chosen to be the first abbot of the abbey of Westmalle. When the priory obtained the status of an abbey, the strict rule that the monks could only drink water with their meal was relaxed. Now it was allowed that cider or beer was drunk in the refectory of the abbey. Martinus decided to brew their own beer. They started brewing on 1 August 1836, and on 10 December 1836 the monks for the first time could taste their own beer. Local sales began in 1856, and sales to traders commenced in 1921.

Martinus Dom died at Westmalle on 9 December 1873, after he had been prior for 47 years and abbot for 37 years.

[edit] Source

Jan B. Van Damme o.c.r., Cistercienzers of Trappisten te Westmalle, Westmalle, 1974
Jan B. Van Damme o.c.r., Geschiedenis van de Trappistenabdij te Westmalle (1794-1956), Westmalle, 1977
J. Van Remoortere, Ippa's Abdijengids voor Belgie, Lanno, 1990