| Birth: | c. 480 | | Death: | Mar. 21, 547 | 
Roman Catholic Saint and Founder of the Benedictine Monastic Order. The only ancient account if his life is contained in the 2nd volume of Pope Gregory I's four-book "Dialogues," believed to have been written in 593 A.D. He was the son of a Roman noble of Nursia, now known as Norcia, in the southern region of Umbria of the Perugia province in Italy, and had a twin sister, Scholastica, who became a nun (and ultimately a saint) and founded the women's branch of Benedictine Monasticism. According to tradition, he became disillusioned with his life and the immorality of society in Rome, abandoned his studies and left his home around 500 A.D., travelling to Enfide (now Affile) to associate with others who were sympathetic with his feelings and shared his views of life. While walking in the mountains near Enfide, he met a monk, Romanus of Subiaco, in a cave whose monastery was on the mountain above the cliff that overhung the cave. Romanus advised him to become a hermit at this cave, which he did for three years, and was frequently ministered to by Romanus. During this time he matured in mind and character, securing the respect of the community around him. When the abbot of a local monastery died, he was asked fervently by the local community to become it new abbot and he finally consented, knowing well their ways were diverse from his and that they would probably never agree on anything. The experiment failed, with the monks attempting to poison him. According to legend, they first attempted to poison his drink and when he prayed a blessing over the cup, it shattered. They then poisoned his bread and when he blessed it, a raven swept down and took it away. He returned to his cave and miracles seem to become more frequent and many people, who were attracted to his sanctity and character, came to Subiaco to be under his teachings and guidance. He founded 12 monasteries in the vicinity of Subiaco and eventually founded the great Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino in 529 A.D., which lies on a hilltop between Rome and Naples, Italy, where he wrote his 'Rule of Saint Benedict", a book of precepts for monks who live communally under the authority of an abbot. He died of a high fever at Monte Cassino at the age of 67, not long after his twin sister died, and they were buried in the same place. In 1220 he was canonized by Pope Honorius III. He was named patron protector of Europe by Pope Paul VI in 1964 and in 1980, Pope John Paul II declared him co-patron of Europe, together with Saints Cyril and Methodius. Prior to 1970 his feast day was March 21 but because it falls during the observance of Lent, the reform of the General Roman calendar established an obligatory memorial for him on July 11. The Saint Benedict Medal was first struck in 1880 to commemorate the fourteenth centenary of Saint Benedict's birth. (bio by: William Bjornstad)
Search Amazon for Saint Benedict | | | Burial:
Abbey of Montecassino
Cassino
Provincia di Frosinone
Lazio, Italy
Plot: Beneath the altar |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Jun 08, 1999
Find A Grave Memorial# 5638 |
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