(MONASTERIO DE SAN JULIÁN DE SAMOS)
Samos Monastery is an active Benedictine monastery in Samos, Galicia, Spain. It was established in the sixth century.
This monastery served as a centre for learning, housing a School of Theology and Philosophy. Moreover, it is a crucial stop along the Way of Saint James pilgrimage route, leading pilgrims to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great.
Its foundation is credited to Martin of Braga. Martin of Braga, also known as Martin of Dumi, was a notable figure in early Christian history. He was a bishop, theologian, and missionary who lived during the 6th century. Martin is best known for his efforts in evangelising the region of Galicia.
Born in Pannonia (modern-day Hungary), Martin later moved to the Iberian Peninsula, where he became a prominent figure within the Catholic Church. He served as the Bishop of Braga, a city in northern Portugal, and played a significant role in spreading Christianity.
Martin of Braga was renowned for his missionary work among the Suebi, a Germanic group that settled northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. He is credited with converting many of the Suebi people to Christianity and establishing churches and monasteries there.
Saint Fructuoso, also a bishop, missionary, and saint, is credited with undertaking renovations in the seventh century. Despite its antiquity, the first written record of these events dates back to 665. An inscription discovered on the walls of the lodge’s cloister attributes the restoration work to Bishop Ermefredo of Lugo.
Following the restoration, the monastery faced periods of abandonment, particularly during the Muslim invasion of the Moors, until it was reconquered by King Fruela I of Asturias around 760. Later, after the king’s assassination, his widow and son, the future Alfonso II of Asturias, sought refuge within the monastery’s walls. This royal association bestowed upon the monastery special protection and privileges, including ownership of properties in a half-mile radius, fostering its growth and development.
In the early tenth century, Bishop Don Ero of Lugo attempted to seize control of the monastery and expelled the monks. To repopulate the monastery, the Counts Arias Menéndez and Gutierre Menéndez, sons of Hermenegildo Menéndez, were tasked with recruiting new monks. This action led to positive relations between the monastery and the Count’s family.
Later in the same century, the monastery was reoccupied at the direction of King Ordoño II of León. By 960, the community adopted the Rule of St. Benedict. In the twelfth century, under the leadership of Bishop Don Juan, the monastery underwent the Cluniac reform.
The Monastery of Samos thrived throughout the Middle Ages, which is evident in its significant holdings of two hundred villas and five hundred sites. However, in 1558, a devastating fire struck, necessitating a complete reconstruction of the monastery. Incorporated into the Royal San Benito of Valladolid, the monastery faced another setback in 1836 during the confiscation of Mendizábal, which led to the displacement of the community.
The Confiscation of Mendizábal, also known as the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal, refers to a series of decrees enacted in Spain during the 1830s under the government of Juan Álvarez Mendizábal.
These decrees aimed to secularise church properties and reduce the influence of the Catholic Church on Spanish society. The process began in 1835 with the passing of the Ecclesiastical Confiscation Law, which mandated the confiscation and sale of properties owned by religious orders, monasteries, convents, and other ecclesiastical institutions.
The state then auctioned the confiscated properties, with the proceeds intended to fund public works and alleviate the country’s financial burdens. The Confiscation of Mendizábal officially ended with the overthrow of Juan Álvarez Mendizábal’s government in 1836. Mendizábal’s administration faced opposition from various quarters, including religious groups, conservatives, and landowners who were negatively impacted by the confiscations.
Despite these challenges, the Benedictine monks returned to Samos in 1880, revitalising the monastery. However, tragedy struck again in 1951 when another fire ravaged the monastery, resulting in its reconstruction.
Solitary devotion to God.
The term “monk” originates from the Greek word “monachus,” meaning “alone” or “one.” Initially, it referred to Christians who sought solitary devotion to God. Over time, it came to encompass those who lived together in secluded communities, away from mainstream society.
There are two main types of monks: hermit monks, who live in solitary seclusion, and cenobite monks, who reside in communal settings. Regardless of their living arrangements, monks dedicate themselves entirely to a life focused on God, seeking intimacy and spiritual fulfilment.
The monastic life revolves around prayer and work. Monks participate in communal and private prayer sessions, praising God, seeking guidance, and interceding for the needs of others. Their work, whether manual or intellectual, contributes to the betterment of society while embodying spiritual values often overlooked in today’s materialistic world.
Monastic communities are structured hierarchically and typically led by an abbot who oversees spiritual and administrative matters. Collaborators such as the prior, subprior and majordomo assist the abbot in governing the community and ensuring its smooth operation.
The conventual chapter is the community’s decision-making body. It consists of all solemnly professed monks. Together, they address important issues and make collective decisions through a democratic process.
In addition to their spiritual duties, monks fulfil various roles within the monastery, including hospitality, administration, and novice training. The community comprises solemnly professed monks, temporarily professed monks undergoing formation, novices in training, and postulants exploring monastic life.
Monastic life counterbalances the pragmatism and materialism prevalent in contemporary society. By prioritising prayer and contemplation, monks witness the importance of spiritual values and the power of prayer in a world often focused on immediate results and tangible benefits.
Their dedication to prayer glorifies God and serves as a form of intercession for the world’s needs. Through their silent work and humble service, monks contribute to the betterment of society, embodying values of peace, hospitality, and reflection.
Ultimately, monastic life offers a path to solitude, prayer, and contemplation—an antidote to the noise and distractions of modern life.
The Façade of the Monastery
Looking at the monastery’s main façade, the striking baroque design of its Church captures attention. The façade is a grand rectangle divided into two bodies and three streets, exuding a sense of majesty and beauty.
A grand staircase, reminiscent of the one at the Obradoiro in Santiago de Compostela and dating back to the 18th century, leads to the entrance. Four Doric columns, standing on sturdy pedestals, flank the door and the baroque upper niche, housing an image of Saint Benedict sculpted by Ferreiro.
The side streets subtly advance, emphasising the towers’ first body, adorned with rectangular windows and intricate filigree-bordered portholes. Moving to the second body, the main street boasts a large central oculus flanked by pairs of columns and niches housing the monastery’s patron saints, Saint Julián and Saint Basilisa.
A balustrade crowns the cornice, dividing the façade, while the bell tower, with its square structure and semicircular arches, adds a final touch of architectural splendour. As time passed, the monastery’s significance within the Church and society grew, though little remains from its early days under King Fruela I in the 8th century, when it was briefly abandoned during the Muslim invasion.
Inside the Monasterio de San Julián de Samos
As you enter the solemn enclosure of the Monastery of San Xulián de Samos, your eyes are drawn to a majestic sight—a large garden adorned with the monument to Father Benito Feijoo standing proudly at its centre.
While the monastery’s current buildings may not be the oldest, they witness centuries of history and architectural evolution. Upon passing through the main door, visitors are greeted by the Father Feijoo cloister, a masterpiece begun in the late 17th century and completed in the mid-18th century. Its architectural style reflects the Purist period, blending Renaissance and Baroque influences with classical sobriety.
The Father Feijoo cloister is the largest of its kind in Spain, measuring an impressive 54 and a half meters on each side. Its three floors are characterised by strong Doric pilasters on pedestals, dividing the space into distinct sections. Semicircular arches and thick parapets adorn the ground floor, while the second floor features smooth canvases with simple-framed windows. The third floor, adorned with carpal arches and small Ionic columns, adds a touch of elegance to the ensemble.
Amidst the cloister’s architectural grandeur, several archaeological treasures are embedded within its walls, including tombstones, stone shields, and royal coats of arms. These artefacts offer glimpses into the monastery’s history and illustrious past, bearing witness to the achievements of its former residents.
At the heart of the cloister stands the effigy of Father Benito Feijoo, a renowned Benedictine scholar and prolific writer. Sculpted by the esteemed Galician artist Francisco Asorey and unveiled in 1947, the monument captures the essence of Father Feijoo’s intellectual legacy. His works, including the “Universal Critical Theater” and “Erudite Letters,” served as pillars of enlightenment, challenging common misconceptions and elevating the cultural discourse of his time.
Then, on passing through a wide carpal arch, visitors are transported into a realm of antiquity—the Gothic or Nereid cloister. Older and more secluded than its counterpart, the Feijoo cloister, this architectural marvel bears witness to centuries of history and transformation.
Originally constructed on the ruins of a Romanesque-style cloister destroyed by fire in the mid-16th century, the Nereid cloister presents a striking contrast to its successor. While the Feijoo cloister boasts a limestone vault devoid of ornamentation, the Nereid cloister features a meticulously crafted stone vault adorned with ribs and abundant keystones.
With a square plan reminiscent of its predecessor, albeit smaller in scale, the Nereid cloister’s bays measure approximately 34 meters. The key with the bust of Saint Benedict, prominently displayed in front of the refectory door, reveals the cloister’s inception in 1562, with completion in 1582. The master builder, Pedro Rodrigues, a native of Monforte, is credited with overseeing the construction of the ground floor.
The vault’s aesthetic intricacies reflect its documented origins. It comprises five keys adorned with various motifs, including coats of arms and depictions of saints. The vault’s ornamentation is both diverse and captivating. In a nod to medieval wit, one key bears an inscription in hieroglyphic form that translates to: “What are you looking at, fool?”
Thick buttresses are integrated into the walls of the cloister’s patio to support the weight of the vaults. A stepped fascia encircles the floor plan, connecting the buttresses and framing the arches, illuminating the space. The uneven distribution of the buttresses, dictated by the varying lengths of the vault sections, contributes to the distinctive width of the arches. Resting on a wide parapet, the archivolt moulding ranges from the equilateral ogive to the semicircle, adding to the cloister’s architectural allure.
The Sacristy: A Glimpse into Gothic Splendor
The sacristy is a revered enclosure within the monastery’s halls and comprises four sections adorned with a Gothic-style star vault reminiscent of the Nereid cloister.
In the 18th century, Monks relocated this ancient vault from its original location. Adorning its walls are fresco paintings by Juan Parés, depicting scenes from the life of Jesus Christ.
Nestled beneath a gracefully arched window lies a magnificent baroque fountain—a symbol of purification—where priests ritually cleanse their hands before celebrating Mass.
Its octagonal floor plan is crowned by a hemispherical dome adorned with intricate designs, both inside and out.
The sacristy’s gallon vault, embellished with cassettes, rests upon a sturdy drum, while the dome is supported by an entablature and semicircular arches resting on robust pillars. Intricately carved wooden triangles depicting Jesus Christ and the cardinal and theological virtues adorn the pendentives, adding a touch of divine splendour.
At the heart of the sacristy lies a resplendent polychrome table from the 18th century. Its octagonal design echos the sacristy’s floor plan.
This table serves as the focal point of an ornate altarpiece housing relics of profound significance, including a venerable Lignum Crucis, a thorn from the Crown of the Lord, and the femur of Saint Benedict.
The Chuch of Samos: A Baroque Masterpiece
The monastic temple of Samos is a majestic edifice crafted by the skilled hands of P. Juan Vázquez, OSB, a monk of the Samon order. Embodying the baroque style with a touch of classical sobriety, it captivates visitors with its luminosity, grandeur, and austere lines.
Externally, the temple forms a Latin cross, with the central nave and transept converging at a towering dome. The rectangular structure is crowned by eight sloping roofs, culminating in a lantern-shaped pinnacle. A notable departure from convention is the relocation of the choir from the central nave to the presbytery in 1970, enhancing the church’s visibility and spaciousness—a unique feature not found elsewhere in the province of Lugo.
Comprising three naves, the central nave is distinguished by its height and width, flanked by two narrower side naves. Doric pilasters with vertical festoons adorn the central nave, supporting semicircular arches that open to the transept. The church’s elevation is crowned by a solid entablature and a barrel vault decorated with cassettes, while lunettes illuminate the nave from above.
In the transept, a magnificent dome with coffered ceilings rests atop a drum adorned with high stone reliefs depicting the holy Benedictine Marian doctors. Three large oculi bathe the central part of the church in natural light, enhancing its splendour.
The side naves, separated by sturdy pillars, feature groin vaults and arcades that open to the central nave. Of particular note are the altarpieces and sculptures, including masterpieces by renowned artists such as Francisco de Moure and José Ferreiro. The main altarpiece, a neoclassical marvel, showcases a sculpture of Saint Julián surrounded by a burst of celestial glory—a testament to the artist’s skill and devotion.
In 2016, the Mayaguez Community in Puerto Rico, affiliated with Samos, restored the Main Altarpiece, preserving its original design and replacing the old altar in accordance with the precepts of the Second Vatican Council.
Lastly, the temple boasts a superb organ with nearly 4000 pipes—one of the largest in Galicia—adding a musical touch to the monastic ambience and enriching the spiritual experience of all who enter its sacred halls.
The Chapel of the Cypress
About a hundred meters from the Monastery, the Chapel of the Cypress stands as a humble yet significant testament to Samonian art and history. Dating back to the late 9th or early 10th century, this simple temple is constructed in the Mozarabic style, characterised by its small size and rustic slab construction.
The chapel’s unique architecture draws the visitor’s attention, with its slightly trapezoidal plan comprising a nave and head. Particularly noteworthy is the door’s location on the south side wall, the elliptical triumphal arch with a horseshoe tendency, and the mullion of the headwall.
Inside, a baroque altarpiece adorned with the image of the Saviour now presides over the community oratory. Despite its modest appearance, the Chapel of the Cypress holds immense significance in Samonian history, serving as a quiet sanctuary for contemplation and prayer for centuries.
Guided Tours at the Monastery
The Monastery does not receive financial assistance from the state or ecclesiastical organisations. Visitors are therefore welcomed, and guided tours are available throughout the day. These operate from the Portería (to the right of the main Church entrance). Here, visitors will also find the Monastery store, which offers a selection of products crafted by the monks themselves. From honey sourced from the lands of Samos to books, medals of Saint Benedict, chocolate, and credentials, there is much to tempt.
External Guesthouse
The monastery guesthouse is located at the entrance to the village of Samos, across the road 25 meters from the Monastery and close to the Chapel of the Cypress. There are 31 rooms available, including single, double, and family rooms equipped with heating, WI-FI, and toiletries. Facilities include a washing machine, dryer, vending machine for drinks and snacks, bicycle parking, and lounge areas for relaxation or TV viewing with complimentary tea and coffee. Check-in is from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Phone: +34 643 639 22, [email protected]
Hostel and Lodging
Benedictine Monks recognise the importance of welcoming pilgrims. For over 1000 years, the monk community has operated a free hostel for pilgrims, offering bunk beds in a large room. During spring and summer, volunteer workers assist with welcoming pilgrims and maintaining cleanliness. Additionally, there is an internal lodging known as the Hospedería. Available for the monks’ relatives and priests or laymen seeking retreat. These spacious and bright rooms, located in the southern part of the 17th-century cloister, feature wooden floors and private bathrooms. These rooms are former monastic cells, offering scenic views of the river and the Huerta de la Botica. Full board, including three meals, is provided. To book a stay, email [email protected]. Please note that the internal Hospedería (accessed through the Porteria) is closed during winter.