11th century
Feast: December 20
A Benedictine abbot who transformed Silos monastery into a center of learning and reform.
Dominic of Silos (1000-1073) was a Spanish Benedictine monk who became abbot of San Sebastian de Silos. He fled his original monastery when King Ferdinand I interfered with monastic life, but was invited to reform the declining Silos abbey. Under his leadership, the monastery became a renowned center of learning, manuscript copying, and liturgical excellence. He was famous for his compassion to the poor and for ransoming Christian captives from Muslim territories. His reforms influenced monasticism throughout Spain.