St. Dominic of Silos

Biography

St. Dominic of Silos (c. 1000–1073) was born at Cañas, in the region of La Rioja in northern Spain, to a peasant family, and spent his youth as a shepherd. Drawn to prayer, he lived for a time as a hermit before entering the Benedictine monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla, where he was ordained a priest and later became prior. When King García of Navarre demanded some of the monastery's property, Dominic refused to hand it over, and he was forced into exile. King Ferdinand I of Castile welcomed him and, in 1041, entrusted him with the nearly abandoned monastery of San Sebastián at Silos, near Burgos. As abbot, Dominic rebuilt the monastery both spiritually and materially. He restored regular observance, cared for the poor and sick, and built a scriptorium that became a center of learning and manuscript art. According to his early biographer, the monk Grimaldus, he was also known for ransoming Christians held captive by the Moors. He died at Silos on December 20, 1073, and the monastery soon took his name, Santo Domingo de Silos. Blessed Jane of Aza is said to have prayed there before the birth of her son, the future St. Dominic, founder of the Dominicans, who was named for him. For centuries his abbot's staff was brought to the bedside of Spanish queens in childbirth.

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