DECEMBER 20TH, EMBER SATURDAY OF ADVENT
Month in honor of the Nativity of OLJC.
Among the Saints recalled in the Roman Martyrology today is one of whom you may not have heard, but ought to!
Saint Dominic of Silos
He was born in the year of grace 1000 in Cañas (modern Rioja), Navarre, Spain, to a peasant family, he worked as a shepherd in his youth. Benedictine monk at San Millán de Cogolla monastery. Priest. Novice master. Prior of the house. Ordered by King Garcia III of Navarre to give him the monastery's lands, Dominic refused, and with two of his brother monks was driven from the house by force.
They sought protection from King Ferdinand I of Old Castile. They found a new home in the San Sebastian monastery at Silos, diocese of Burgos where Dominic was appointed abbot. Founded in 954, the house had fallen on hard times, had only six monks, and was in terrible shape physically, financially and spiritually. He turned around the house's spiritual life, straightened out its finances, rebuilt its structure. The house was soon a spiritual center noted for book design, printed art, its gold and silver work, and charity to the local poor. The rebuilt abbey cloisters survive to today, and are considered a great architectural treasure. Reported to heal by prayer. He got wealthy patrons to endow the monastery, and raised funds to ransom Christians taken prisoner by the Moors. He died on December 10th, 1073, in Silos, Spain of natural causes.
Saint Dominic of Silos is one of the most beloved of Spanish Saints; there were churches and monasteries dedicated to him as early as 1085, and the monastery he rebuilt is now known as Saint Dominic's. Many miracles were attributed to his prayers after his death, especially with regard to pregnancy. Dominic's abbatial staff was used to bless Spanish queens and was kept by their beds when they were in labour. Blessed Joan de Aza de Guzmán prayed at his shrine to conceive the child whom she called Dominic, named after the saintly abbot of Silos, who founded the Order of Preachers (the Dominicans).