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Saint Benedict

the father of monks

Who was Saint Benedict?

Also called
Benedict of Nursia vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008
From
Nursia (today Norcia), in Italy Roman Martyrology, July 11; vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008
Occupation
Monk and abbot Roman Martyrology, July 11
Feast day
July 11: Saint Benedict, Abbot
Saint Benedict, an artistic recreation

The path of Saint Benedict

  1. Before Jesus. His parents, a well-to-do family, sent him to Rome to study. vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008
  2. Before Jesus. He left Rome before finishing his studies, because he wanted only to please God. vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008
  3. Before Jesus. He lived alone for three years in a cave near Subiaco. Today that grotto is part of a monastery. vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008
  4. With Jesus. Many disciples joined him, and he founded his first monasteries near Subiaco. Roman Martyrology, July 11; vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008
  5. With Jesus. In the year 529 he went to Monte Cassino, a mountain that can be seen from far away, and founded a monastery there. vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008
  6. With Jesus. He wrote a Rule for his monks, which spread everywhere. Roman Martyrology, July 11
  7. Afterward. He died around the year 547. It is believed to have been on March 21. Roman Martyrology, July 11; vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008
  8. Afterward. In 1964, Pope Paul VI named him patron of Europe. vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008

Words of Saint Benedict

“Listen, my son, to the master’s instructions, and incline the ear of your heart” Saint Benedict, Rule, Prologue, 1

At the beginning of his Rule, like a father speaking to his son.

“To prefer nothing to the love of Christ.” Saint Benedict, Rule 4, 21

In the list of good works he asks of his monks.

“Let nothing, therefore, be put before the Work of God.” Saint Benedict, Rule 43, 3

When he asks the monks to arrive on time for common prayer.

“Idleness is the enemy of the soul” Saint Benedict, Rule 48, 1

When he sets out the manual work of the monks.

What they were like

The greatest thing they did

Not to be confused with

In the Church today

Feast day: July 11, Saint Benedict, Abbot (memorial). General Roman Calendar; Roman Martyrology, July 11

Patron of: Of Europe (named by Pope Paul VI in 1964) vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008

In art, recognized by: The book of his Rule and an abbot’s crozier This is how Christian art depicts him; A raven with a loaf of bread in its beak This is how Christian art depicts him

What people ask

Did he have brothers or sisters?

Yes. Saint Scholastica was his sister. Once a year they spent a whole day at Monte Cassino praising God. Roman Martyrology, February 10

What does “Ora et labora” mean?

“Pray and work.” It is a motto of the Benedictine tradition. Catechism 2834

Who wrote his life?

Saint Gregory the Great, in the second book of his Dialogues, about fifty years later. vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008

Why is he the patron of Europe?

Because of what his Rule did to shape European culture. Paul VI named him in 1964. vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008

Little known He himself called his Rule “a minimal Rule, written only for the beginning.” vatican.va, Benedict XVI, April 9, 2008 It asks the abbot to listen to everyone, because…

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Who Saint Benedict is connected to

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All the people of the Bible · The Twelve Apostles · Women of the Bible

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