Benedict of Nursia

Lore & Background

Benedict was the son of a Roman noble of Nursia (modern Norcia, Umbria). According to Pope Gregory I's Dialogues, Benedict was sent to Rome to study but was disappointed by the academic studies there. He left with his nurse and settled in Enfide (modern Affile). On his way from Enfide, he met a monk, Romanus of Subiaco, who gave him the monk's habit. By Romanus's advice, Benedict became a hermit and for three years lived in a cave above a lake near Subiaco. During this solitude, he matured and became known to those around him. After the death of a local abbot, the community begged him to become their abbot; the experiment failed when the monks tried to poison him. Benedict left and returned to his cave. A priest named Florentius later attempted to kill him with poisoned bread, but a raven swept the loaf away. In about 530, Benedict left Subiaco, having founded 12 monasteries in the vicinity, and eventually founded the great Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino.

Reader's Guide

Benedict of Nursia's significance lies primarily in his Rule, which became the foundational document for Western monasticism. The Rule comprises seventy-three short chapters offering both spiritual guidance on living a Christocentric life and administrative advice for running a monastery efficiently. More than half the chapters describe how to be obedient and humble. Heavily influenced by John Cassian and showing affinity with the earlier Rule of the Master, the Rule is noted for its unique spirit of balance, moderation, and reasonableness. This persuaded most religious orders and communities founded throughout the Middle Ages to adopt it, making Benedict's monastic rule one of the most influential in Western Christendom. The present-day Order of Saint Benedict is not an order in the common sense but a confederation of autonomous congregations. Benedict's veneration extends across multiple Christian traditions, and he was named patron protector of Europe by Pope Paul VI in 1964, and co-patron of Europe by Pope John Paul II in 1980. His feast is observed on various dates depending on the tradition.

Did You Know?

• The only ancient account of Benedict's life is found in Pope Gregory I's Dialogues, written in 593, though its authenticity is disputed.
• Benedict died of a fever at Monte Cassino not long after his sister, Scholastica, and was buried in the same tomb.
• He is the patron saint of speleologists.
• On the island of Tenerife (Spain), he is the patron saint of fields and farmers, with an important romeria held in his honor.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Benedict of Nursia (c. 480 – 543 or 547) was the founder of the Benedictine Order and hence of mediaeval monasticism." — Benedict of Nursia "There are times when good words are to be left unsaid out of esteem for silence." — Benedict of Nursia