Domingo

Friar Domingo of the Sacred Order of St. Francis was a minor hero from the novel Shōgun by James Clavell and the NBC TV miniseries based on the book.

In September 1598 Domingo was thrown into a Japanese prison to await execution after the Jesuits working the island appealed to their hosts to have him imprisoned. For almost the next two years Domingo remained in the prison, waiting for the Japanese to get around to crucifying him. During this time he converted a large number of his fellow prisoners to Christianity and prayed for the men when they were called out by the jailers to be put to death.

John Blackthorne was thrown in to this prison in May 1600 by Lord Yoshi Toranaga in order to keep him safe from his rival Lord Ishido. Domingo was overjoyed to see a fellow European in the prison with him, thinking that he might soon be delivered from the prison. Blackthorne did not admit that he was an English protestant, but instead allowed Domingo to surmise that he was a Spanish sailor thrown in prison by the Portuguese Jesuits working the island.

Blackthorne's stay in the Japanese prison was not overly long. However in the short time they had together Domingo imparted some of his knowledge of the Japanese language to the younger man. Domingo also gave Blackthorne an overview of the situation in Japan, how the Jesuits were working in violation of the Pope's own orders and that they had banned all other religious orders from the country.

Blackthorne was soon called out. However he was not put to the slow death that he was expecting, but instead taken to meet Toranaga now that it was safe. Following his release from prison Blackthorne inquired into Domingo's status, hoping to have his friend released from prison. Toranaga's interpreter Mariko explained it was too late, that the elderly monk had been called out and had died.

Trivia
Unlike many of the other characters in Shōgun Friar Domingo was not based on any specific individual.