Domingo de la Calzada
Domingo García, popularly known as Santo Domingo de la Calzada, was born in the year 1019 in a place possibly named Viloria de Rioja, in the Provincia de Burgos, in northern Spain. He died on 12 May 1109 in the town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, in La Rioja. Throughout his life, Domingo was a distinguished churchman who devoted his effort and dedication to fostering and promoting the Camino Frances, one of the most important pilgrimage routes in Christian history.
His contribution to the route was fundamental, not only in organising and caring for pilgrims, but also in building the infrastructure that made travel easier for those undertaking this sacred journey. His legacy remains alive to this day, making him a highly respected and remembered figure within Spanish tradition. Santo Domingo de la Calzada is also recognised as the patron saint of civil engineers, covering both public-works technical engineers and those specialising in roads, canals and ports, which further highlights his influence on the development of engineering in his country.
Biography of Santo Domingo
Domingo de la Calzada was born the son of a farmer named Ximeno García and his wife, Orodulce. After the sad, early death of his parents, Domingo found himself needing to seek his spiritual path. During this difficult period, he tried to join the Benedictine monasteries of Valvanera and San Millán de la Cogolla, hoping to lead a life devoted to faith and prayer. However, despite his efforts, he was not admitted to either monastery, which left him deeply disappointed.
With his spirits somewhat dampened by this setback, he decided to withdraw and live as a hermit in a remote, solitary place. He settled in the holm-oak woods of Ayuela, a quiet area near what we now know as Santo Domingo de la Calzada. There he led a life of reflection and contemplation until the year 1039, when an important change came into his life as he began working alongside Gregorio, the Bishop of Ostia, who had come to Calahorra on a mission to fight a devastating locust plague affecting the lands of Navarra and La Rioja.
Through this joint work with Gregorio, he received priestly ordination, marking a new chapter in his life. Together they undertook an important project: building a wooden bridge over the river Oja. This bridge was intended to make it easier for pilgrims heading towards Compostela to cross, making the journey more accessible and safer. The collaboration between Domingo and Gregorio lasted until the latter’s death in 1044.
After the sad death of his companion Gregorio, Domingo returned once again to the Ayuela area, where he decided to undertake a significant work of settlement. He set about clearing dense woodland and breaking virgin ground, opening the way for new agricultural possibilities in the region. He also began building a stone causeway, which departed from the old Roman road connecting Logroño and Burgos. Over time, this new route became the main way between Nájera and Redecilla del Camino. Thanks to his hard work and dedication to this task, Domingo came to be known as Domingo de la Calzada, a title reflecting his impact on the region and his contribution to improving the living conditions of those around him.
To improve conditions for the pilgrims who began travelling along the new causeway, it was decided to replace the old wooden bridge that had been built with Gregorio’s help with a sturdier, more durable one made of stone. A complex was also built including a hospital, a well and a church, intended to meet the various needs of travellers passing through. Today this place is known as the Casa del Santo, used as a pilgrim hostel on the Camino de Santiago. The hostel that was erected, together with the well, are located in what is now known as the Parador Nacional, on the Plaza del Santo.
In 1076, when Alfonso VI of León took control of La Rioja, he realised that the development of the Camino de Santiago was contributing significantly to his ambitious project of integrating this area into his kingdom. For this reason, he began supporting the saint, his works and the town itself. In 1090, he visited Domingo and entrusted him with responsibility for the roadworks being carried out along the Camino de Santiago. By then, Domingo, together with his disciple Santo San Juan de Ortega, had already begun building a church dedicated to the Saviour and Santa María. This church was officially consecrated by the Bishop of Calahorra in 1106. Outside this church, against its walls, the saint chose a place to be buried, marking it as an important site not only in terms of faith but also in the region’s history.
The settlement, known today as Masburguete or Margubete, corresponding to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, began as a small cluster of houses built around the saint’s hermitage during his lifetime. By 1109, when Domingo died, the town already had a growing population. The church of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, where he was buried, was raised to the rank of cathedral shortly afterwards, when the diocese of Calahorra was moved there between 1232 and 1235.
Today, nine painted panels can be seen adorning one of the cathedral’s walls, depicting the miracles performed by Santo Domingo and highlighting his importance and legacy in the region’s history. These pieces are not only a testament to faith but also illustrate the lasting impact the saint had on community life and on the route pilgrims still follow to this day.
Miracles of Santo Domingo
An image of Domingo de la Calzada can be found in the church of San Juan de Ortega, located in the Provincia de Burgos. The good works performed by Santo Domingo on behalf of the pilgrims travelling towards Santiago de Compostela do not appear to have ended with his death. Indeed, there are many accounts of miraculous healings that have taken place in the town, which people attribute to Domingo’s influence and intercession.
One of the most notable miracles is the healing of a French knight who was possessed by a demon. This man managed to free himself from the evil spirit while standing before the saint’s tomb, leaving many believers astonished and filled with faith in the power of Santo Domingo.
Another famous account concerns a 15th-century German pilgrim named Bernardo. This man arrived at Santo Domingo’s tomb suffering from a painful, festering eye infection. However, on visiting the sacred site, he experienced a remarkable recovery and was completely cured, further increasing the fame of Santo Domingo’s wonders.
There is also a story about a Norman who regained his sight upon visiting the cathedral. This healing, like the others, testifies to the faith and devotion people had for Santo Domingo, as many believed his spirit continued protecting and helping the pilgrims who passed through the town. These miracles not only highlight the figure of Santo Domingo but also reinforce the importance of faith in the traditions of pilgrims heading to Santiago de Compostela.
The miracle of the rooster and the hen
This took place in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, in the region of La Rioja.
It was during the fourteenth century, a time when many people made the Camino Frances, a long journey to the Catedral de Santiago in the city of Santiago de Compostela, which was very important to pilgrims. In this context, there was an eighteen-year-old German youth named Hugonell. He was travelling with his parents, hoping to complete his pilgrimage and receive the blessing of the Apóstol Santiago.
While staying at an inn, a young woman who worked there became attracted to Hugonell and began to fall in love with him. However, the young man did not return her feelings, which left her deeply spurned. Filled with resentment and a desire for revenge, she decided to act very dishonestly. In a moment of secrecy and malice, she hid a silver cup that did not belong to Hugonell in his bag. She then accused him, without further ado, of having stolen that cup.
As Hugonell and his parents were about to leave the inn and continue their journey to Compostela, the authorities arrived. They searched the young man’s bag and found the silver cup. Despite his innocence, Hugonell was found guilty of theft and sentenced to be hanged. His parents, desperate and unable to do anything but pray, raised their pleas to Santiago, asking for help and justice.
As they approached the place where their son’s body hung, they said their goodbyes, but to their surprise they heard him speaking to them from the gallows. He assured them he was alive thanks to the intercession of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, who had worked a miracle.
Overjoyed, the parents decided to take the news to the local magistrate. He, who at that moment was dining lavishly on some poultry, naturally did not believe what he heard and laughed at the situation. In a mocking tone, he uttered the famous phrase: “Your son is as alive as this rooster and this hen I was about to eat before you disturbed me.” At that moment, something unexpected and astonishing happened. The birds, which were on the table, leapt from the plate and began to sing and crow merrily, as if they too wanted to confirm the miracle that had taken place.