St. Benedict the abbot

Name Meaning:  benedict = blessed
Memorial:  July 11

St. Benedict, the founder of Western Monasticism, was born of Roman nobility around the year 480 in Nursia, Italy. He went to Rome for his education. Around the age of twenty, he became so dismayed by the lack of discipline and un-spirited attitude of his fellow students that he went to live as a hermit in a cave in the mountains of Subiaco for three years. Because so many men imitated his ascetic life, St. Benedict was asked to lead them.

In the year 529 St. Benedict left Subiaco with a few faithful monks and moved to Monte Cassino (halfway between Rome and Naples). He found on the summit of Monte Cassino, a pagan temple dedicated to Apollo. He replaced it with the most famous monastery in Western Christendom, the Monastery at Monte Cassino. Thus begin the Rule of St. Benedict.  "Listen carefully, my son, to the master's instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. This is the advice from a father who loves you; welcome it, and faithfully put it into practice. The labor of obedience will bring you back to him form whom you had drifted through the sloth of disobedience. This message of mine is for you, then, if you are ready to give up your own will, once and for all, and armed with the strong and noble weapons of obedience to do battle for the true King, Christ the Lord."
"(the Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue, verses 1-3)

He wrote his famous monastic rule for the many monks that were attracted to Monte Cassino by St. Benedict's holiness. The Rule of St. Benedict became the basis of all subsequent western monasteries because of it supreme common sense.

St. Benedict was so disciplined that an attempt was made on his life by some monks that tried to poison him. He blessed the cup and rendered it harmless. He returned to his cave, however, he continued to attract followers, and eventually set up twelve monastic communities, each consisting of twelve monks. St. Benedictine Abbey is a picturesque monastery build on a cliff at the location of the cave used by St. Benedict when he lived as a hermit for three years. The monastery, a place of great wealth and political power in the Middle Ages, grew out the 12 monastic communities founded in Subiaco by St. Benedict. Today, it features very impressive frescoes from the 9th and 10th centuries. The earliest painting dating from around 800 depicts a Madonna and child with saint.

Pilgrims in June of 2001 experienced this magnificent view from the road up to the abbey in Subiaco.

Pilgrims in June of 2001 making the climb to the abbey in Subiaco.

Waiting for a tour of the abbey and to celebrate Mass in one of the chapels.

St. Benedict had the ability to read consciences, prophesy, and forestall attacks of the devil. He died on March 21, 547 of a fever while in prayer at Monte Cassino, Italy. He is buried beneath the high altar in the same tomb as his twin sister, Saint Scholastica.