St. Benedict of Nursia

NAME Saint Benedict of Nursia

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Benedict of Nursia is famous for founding the Benedictine Order and establishing the influential Rule of Saint Benedict, which became a foundational guide for Western monasticism.

BIRTH Benedict of Nursia was born around the year 480 AD in Nursia (modern-day Norcia), Umbria, about 85 miles north east of Rome. 

FAMILY BACKGROUND Young Ben was born into a distinguished Christian noble family who loved each other tenderly. All we know of his father was that he was a Roman noble.

He had a twin sister named Scholastica.

CHILDHOOD A pious and virtuous child, Ben's boyhood was spent in Rome, where he lived with his parents and attended the schools until he had reached his higher studies.

EDUCATION Ben was educated at home before being sent to Rome to study. Once there, the sight of the disorderliness of his fellow students made him fear they would influence him to turn to sin. He fled without completing his studies to the mountains (as one does).

CAREER RECORD After leaving his studies, Benedict pursued a life of solitary contemplation and eventually founded several monasteries, including the famous Monte Cassino Abbey. Here's his resume.

500 After retiring to the mountains at the (we're guessing here) the age of 20, Benedict took up an apartment (a cave actually) for several years during which he gained a following.

503 Stories of Benedict's virtues reached some monks at a monastery in the neighbourhood Their abbot having recently died, the community came to Benedict and begged him to become their boss. Benedict later gathered 12 small communities in the Aniane valley to devote to a life of prayer.

529 Benedict established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order at Monte Cassino, a rocky hill about 80 miles southeast of Rome.

Benedict emphasised the role of manual labor as a God-given part of human life and a typical day for him was day centred around work, mainly manual labour and teaching, study, private prayer and communal services.

APPEARANCE Benedict is often depicted in religious art with a calm and thoughtful demeanor, dressed in the simple robes of a monk. Pictures of St Benedict show him to be balding. 

Saint Benedict by Hans Memling, Trittico di Benedetto Portinari, San Benedetto

FASHION The Benedictines were also known as "Black Monks" because in Summer they wore black robes and sandals. In Winter they wore woollen underclothes and fur boots.

Because Benedict never mentioned underpants in his instructions, his followers were not allowed to wear them.

CHARACTER According to the Penguin Dictionary of Saints, Benedict was "Single minded, composed and upright, a man of peace and moderation, practical. A loving father who combined insistence on good discipline with respect for human personality and individual capabilities."

SENSE OF HUMOUR Benedict's life was marked by seriousness and devotion, humor is not a characteristic commonly associated with him. In fact, he was a bit of a sourpuss, and banned all laughter from his monasteries.

RELATIONSHIPS Benedict had as many heirs as hairs-none.

Benedict's beloved twin sister, Scholastica, became a nun and leader of a community for women at Plombariola, about five miles from Benedict's abbey at Monte Cassino. They used to meet up once a year. On the appointed day Scholastica went to Monte Cassino. Benedict came to meet her; they passed some hours together in a guest house of the abbey and ate together, then each went their own way. Scholastica passed away on February 10, 543.

MONEY AND FAME The Benedictines took no vow of poverty. Each monastery was encouraged to be self-supporting.

While journeying on horseback one day, Benedict met a peasant walking along the road," you've got an easy job" said the peasant, "why don't I become a man of prayer. Then I too would be travelling on horseback." "You think praying is easy" replied the Saint". "If you can say one Lords Prayer without any distraction, you can have the horse." "It’s a bargain" said the surprised peasant". Closing his eyes and folding his hands he began to say the Lords Prayer aloud. "Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom..." Suddenly he stopped and looked up "Shall I get the saddle and bridle too" he said...

INTERESTS FOOD AND DRINK Whilst living as a hermit for three years in his cave Benedict had bread lowered to him in a basket attached to a rope by Romanus, a monk living at one of the numerous monasteries nearby.

After founding the Benedictine order Benedict compiled a series of rules by which the Benedictine monks should live by. In his Rule he allocated each monk a pound of bread and two cooked dishes each day, though meat is forbidden.

Benedict wrote practically in his Rule "For the daily meal let there be two cooked dishes so that he who happens not to be able to eat of one may take his meal of the other. Avoid excess-above all things, that no monk shall be overtaken by indigestion."

In his Rule he allocated each monk a nemina (quarter of a litre) of wine each day. Benedict would like to have prohibited wine but he realized it would be an overly controversial measure, so he restricted his demands to banning drunkenness.

MUSIC AND ARTS Benedict valued the importance of sacred music and art in worship, which influenced the Benedictine tradition

Benedict liked paintings to have straight lines as straight lines reach God more easily.

LITERATURE Benedict's Rule became a cornerstone of Christian literature and has been widely studied and revered for its wisdom and practical guidance.

The oldest copy of the Rule of Saint Benedict, from the eighth century

A major contributor to preserving the literature of ancient Greece and Rome, Benedict was one of the first to insist that monks include intellectual labour in their duties and he specified a certain number of hours to be spent each day in the scriptorium.

The Rules of Benedict specified that monks should spend two hours a day reading Holy books.

During the Dark Ages copies of the masterpieces of Roman literature were preserved and recopied in the monasteries of the Benedictine monks.

NATURE Benedict had a deep appreciation for the natural world, seeing it as a reflection of God's glory and a source of spiritual inspiration.

The monks at Vicouano Monastery rebelled against the strict regime Benedict had imposed on them and arranged for poisoned bread to be given to him. However, a raven that daily used to come to him from the next wood, flew forward and tore the piece of bread away from the saint thus saving the life of his master.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Benedict's lifestyle focused on prayer, work, and study rather than leisure activities or sports.

SCIENCE AND MATHS While not known for scientific or mathematical pursuits, Benedict valued the importance of intellectual discipline and order.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY As I mentioned earlier in this Benedict fled to a cave on the face of a cliff in the mountains of Subiaco, disgusted at the vices of Rome. After three years in the cave, the fame of Benedict's virtues reached some monks whose abbot had just died and they insisted that he become his successor. Though Benedict remained in the cave, more and more disciples placed themselves under his guidance. Eventually he established an abbey at Vicovano to house the growing number of his followers. It was the first of twelve monasteries he built for them, each of twelve monks.

About 529 Benedict founded the Monte Cassino abbey on the site of an ancient temple dedicated to the God, Apollo. He established there his Rule of St Benedict, which he composed 15 years earlier. The rule encouraged monks to participate in manual labour and studying, a novel idea at the time, but a monument of wisdom that has survived the centuries. Benedict declared “Idleness is hostile to the soul, and the brethren should be occupied at fixed times in manual labour and at definite hours in religious reading.”

SCANDAL In his earlier monastic days as an abbot in North Italy attempts to impose high standards and his general holiness provoked monks to try to poison him by putting poison in his wine. The glass broke when Benedict, as was his custom, traced the sign of the cross over his drink. They then tried to poison his bread but the aforementioned crow swept in and took the loaf away.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Benedict performed many miracles including reviving a boy crushed to death by a fallen wall.

Benedict's Rule instructed his monks: “Before all things, care must be taken of the sick, so that they may be served in very deed as Christ himself…But let the sick on their part consider that they are being served for God’s honor and not provoke their brethren who are serving them by their unreasonable demands.”

HOMES I know I keep mentioning this, but Benedict fled from Rome to a cave in mountains of Subiaco at the age of 15 disgusted at the vices of city and spent three years in a cave on the face of a cliff in the desert. However in time he found he needed to establish places to house his followers and eventually established 12 monasteries which housed 12 monks each.

Benedict eventually left Subiaco and founded a monastery at Monte Cassino in AD529 on the site of an ancient temple dedicated to the god Apollo. It was so strongly built that weeks of bombardment by the allies during the Second World War could not destroy it. It is now a museum and picture gallery.

Monte Cassino Abbey By Monticiano Wikipedia

DEATH Benedict died on March 21, 547, aged 67 after he'd been taken without warning with a violent fever. The dying Benedict was carried into the chapel at Monte Cassino by his fellow Benedictines where he received communion before he drew his last breath standing erect supported by his disciples.

A few weeks after the death of his beloved sister Scholastica, Benedict had her tomb opened as he wished to be laid to rest beside her.  During the post war restoration of the Abbey at Mount Cassino an urn was discovered which is said to contain the remains of Benedict and Scholastica

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Benedict's life and teachings have been depicted in religious art, literature, and media, highlighting his enduring influence on Western spirituality.

In medieval Christian art, Benedict was generally portrayed with his friendly raven.

ACHIEVEMENTS (1) A Pioneer of monasteries in the West. Benedict's encouragement of monks to participate in manual labour and teaching was novel at the time.

(2) Founder of Benedictine order. After his death Benedictine orders were accepted by all the monks of the west . The Benedictine order was to be the most important order in Europe for many centuries and produced 50 Popes and many cardinals and Archbishops. By the 11th century they existed in great numbers in every country of Western Europe except Ireland. By the reformation there were almost 300 Benedictine monasteries and nunneries in England.

(3) In 1964 Benedict was appointed Patron Saint of Europe , but not the Patron Saint of baldness. His emblems include a broken cup and yep a raven.