A lesser known Dominic

	St. Dominic of Silos When: c. 1000-1073 Where: Spain What: Abbot Feast: Dec. 20

While the Dominicans (Order of Preachers) were founded in 1214 by St. Dominic, they owe a debt of gratitude to another Dominic -- St. Dominic of Silos, who died 140 years earlier.

Nearly 100 years after the death of St. Dominic of Silos who had a great reputation for miracles of healing, Blessed Joan of Aza made a pilgrimage to his tomb. While there, she had a vision of Dominic of Silos promising her that she would give birth to another son (her two older boys were grown). When that son was born, she named him Dominic.

Dominic of Silos was born at Cañas, Navarre, Spain (in the northern part of the country near where the Pyrenees border France). His parents were peasants and he grew up working on the farm and herding sheep.

Eventually, he became a Benedictine monk at San Millan de Coggoa Monastery in Navarre. After his ordination, Dominic became novice master and then prior.

But when King Garcia III of Navarre demanded part of the monastery's grounds, Dominic refused. This angered the king who forced Dominic and two other monks to leave the monastery.

They went to Old Castile, a region in northern Spain, where the ruler welcomed the three monks and gave them the old, run-down monastery of St. Sebastian at Silos, near the capital city, Burgos.

The monks chose Dominic as their leader. He then restored the monastery: rebuilding the church, planning the cloisters and starting a scriptorium -- a room where medieval scholars copied manuscripts for their library.

The scriptorium at Silos soon became well-known for its manuscripts and its Spanish Christian art collection. The monastery itself was considered one of the leading spiritual centers in Spain.

Dominic became known for his holiness and generosity to the poor. He is also credited with helping rescue 300 Christian slaves held captive by the Moors.

Because of the story of Blessed Joan and the birth of her son, St. Dominic, the abbatial staff of St. Dominic of Silos was used to bless queens of Spain, including when they were in labor, until 1931 when the republic of Spain was founded.

The monastery of St. Dominic of Silos was restored in the 19th century and is highly regarded for its double Romanesque cloisters, its library and recordings of Gregorian chant.