Saint Dominic of Silos was a Spanish monk. The Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos, where he served as the abbot, is dedicated to him.
He was born to a family of peasants and worked as a shepherd before becoming a Benedictine monk at the Monasteries of San Millán de la Cogolla. King García Sánchez III of Navarre drove out Dominic along with two of his fellow monks, for opposing his intention to annex the monastery's lands.
They found refuge in the town of Silos in 1041, under the protection of King Ferdinand I of León, at the Abbey of St. Sebastian. Dominic was appointed as the abbot of the community and inspired by the reforms of Cluny, proceeded to rebuild the monastery, both spiritually and physically. He built the cloisters in the Romanesque style, and established a scriptorium, turning the monastery into a centre of book design, scholarship, and significant charity made possible through the proceeds of the gold and silver workshop. Dominic became known for his works of healing. The monastery became one of the centres of the Mozarabic liturgy, and also preserved the Visigothic script of ancient Spain.
Wealthy patrons endowed the monastery, and Dominic raised funds to ransom Christians taken prisoners by the Moors. He died on 20 December 1073.
St. Dominic of Silos is patron saint of prisoners, pregnant women, and shepherds.
Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Julius
2. Saint Peter Thi
3. Saint Philogonius
4. Saint Ursicinus
5. Saint Zephyrinus
- catholic.org