SUPER SAINTS: Saint Benedict. joe18621 on Jul 1, 2010 www.bobandpennylord.com/St_Benedict.htm short video clip on the life of Saint Benedict taped at the sitesMore
SUPER SAINTS: Saint Benedict.
joe18621 on Jul 1, 2010 www.bobandpennylord.com/St_Benedict.htm short video clip on the life of Saint Benedict taped at the sites
joe18621 on Jul 1, 2010 www.bobandpennylord.com/St_Benedict.htm short video clip on the life of Saint Benedict taped at the sites
www.officine.it/montecassino/main_e.htm
ST. BENEDICT
an outline of his life
ST. BENEDICT, founder of Montecassino and great legislator of Western monasticism, was born to a patrician family in Norcia (Perugia) in or about 480 A.D.
After his initial studies, he went to Rome. Disgusted by rampant vice, he abandoned everything and retired to the lonely rocks of Subiaco where he led a hermit's existence: …More
www.officine.it/montecassino/main_e.htm
ST. BENEDICT
an outline of his life
ST. BENEDICT, founder of Montecassino and great legislator of Western monasticism, was born to a patrician family in Norcia (Perugia) in or about 480 A.D.
After his initial studies, he went to Rome. Disgusted by rampant vice, he abandoned everything and retired to the lonely rocks of Subiaco where he led a hermit's existence: "soli Deo placere cupiens" as his biographer St. Gregory Magnum wrote - "with the only desire to be agreeable to the Lord".
Some monks living in his neighbourhood and attracted by his saintly life, begged him to become their Superior and Teacher. Benedict accepted, but when he tried to correct their far from exemplary way of life, they made an attempt on his life with a goblet full of poison. But he shattered the goblet with a miraculous sign of the cross.
After having founded twelve small convents, St. Benedict left Subiaco and went southward with a few disciples. The reasons which made him chose the mountain "a cui Cassino è nella costa" (on which flank Cassino is located, Dante, Parad. XXII, 37) are not known but it may be related to some patrician benefactor.
Benedict who was gifted with practical sense, adjusted the existing temple, the actual entrance cloister, to become an oratory for his community, while using the remaining buildings to house the monks and pilgrims, as well as for various activities.
Another small oratory dedicated to St. John the Baptist is built at the mountain top where the graveyard will be located. It is still the site where the grave of St. Benedict and of his Sister St. Scolastica are venerated and it is exactly coinciding with the lower part of the High Altar in the Basilica.
In addition to founding his monastic order, St. Benedict also spread the Gospel to the population of the down below Plain. This mission is still entrusted to this monastic Community, so that the town of Cassino and its 20 surrounding municipalities all belong to the pastoral jurisdiction of the Abbot of Montecassino.
Photo n. 1 - detail
At Montecassino, St. Benedict completed writing his Regula monachorum (photo no.1), i.e. the Order Rule, which according to Bossuet, can be defined as a small compendium of the Gospel.
Nearing his 70th year, the Great Patriarch closed his hearthly life in Montecassino. Just before he died, as he felt his forces ebb away, he asked to be carried to the S. Martino Oratory where he was administered the Holy Communion and passed away while raising his arms to heaven. The date of his death is traditionally established on March 21, 547 A.D.
His mortal remains, and those of his sister Scolastica, rest beneath the High Altar (70). St. Benedict, Patron Saint of engineers, speleologists and of "Opera della Bonifica" (land reclaiming) was proclaimed main Patron of Europe by Pope Paul VI on the occasion of his visit to Montecassino on October 24, 1964 with the following motivation: "Messenger of Peace, Unifier, Master of Civilization and in particular Herald of Faith and Iniziator of monastic life in Western Europe". (Papal Brief - Pacis Nuntius).
Images available in this page:
The Order Rule (a) (35 Kb)
The Order Rule (b) (38 Kb)
St. Benedict (35 Kb)
St. Scolastica (40 Kb)
Back to home page
ST. BENEDICT
an outline of his life
ST. BENEDICT, founder of Montecassino and great legislator of Western monasticism, was born to a patrician family in Norcia (Perugia) in or about 480 A.D.
After his initial studies, he went to Rome. Disgusted by rampant vice, he abandoned everything and retired to the lonely rocks of Subiaco where he led a hermit's existence: "soli Deo placere cupiens" as his biographer St. Gregory Magnum wrote - "with the only desire to be agreeable to the Lord".
Some monks living in his neighbourhood and attracted by his saintly life, begged him to become their Superior and Teacher. Benedict accepted, but when he tried to correct their far from exemplary way of life, they made an attempt on his life with a goblet full of poison. But he shattered the goblet with a miraculous sign of the cross.
After having founded twelve small convents, St. Benedict left Subiaco and went southward with a few disciples. The reasons which made him chose the mountain "a cui Cassino è nella costa" (on which flank Cassino is located, Dante, Parad. XXII, 37) are not known but it may be related to some patrician benefactor.
Benedict who was gifted with practical sense, adjusted the existing temple, the actual entrance cloister, to become an oratory for his community, while using the remaining buildings to house the monks and pilgrims, as well as for various activities.
Another small oratory dedicated to St. John the Baptist is built at the mountain top where the graveyard will be located. It is still the site where the grave of St. Benedict and of his Sister St. Scolastica are venerated and it is exactly coinciding with the lower part of the High Altar in the Basilica.
In addition to founding his monastic order, St. Benedict also spread the Gospel to the population of the down below Plain. This mission is still entrusted to this monastic Community, so that the town of Cassino and its 20 surrounding municipalities all belong to the pastoral jurisdiction of the Abbot of Montecassino.
Photo n. 1 - detail
At Montecassino, St. Benedict completed writing his Regula monachorum (photo no.1), i.e. the Order Rule, which according to Bossuet, can be defined as a small compendium of the Gospel.
Nearing his 70th year, the Great Patriarch closed his hearthly life in Montecassino. Just before he died, as he felt his forces ebb away, he asked to be carried to the S. Martino Oratory where he was administered the Holy Communion and passed away while raising his arms to heaven. The date of his death is traditionally established on March 21, 547 A.D.
His mortal remains, and those of his sister Scolastica, rest beneath the High Altar (70). St. Benedict, Patron Saint of engineers, speleologists and of "Opera della Bonifica" (land reclaiming) was proclaimed main Patron of Europe by Pope Paul VI on the occasion of his visit to Montecassino on October 24, 1964 with the following motivation: "Messenger of Peace, Unifier, Master of Civilization and in particular Herald of Faith and Iniziator of monastic life in Western Europe". (Papal Brief - Pacis Nuntius).
Images available in this page:
The Order Rule (a) (35 Kb)
The Order Rule (b) (38 Kb)
St. Benedict (35 Kb)
St. Scolastica (40 Kb)
Back to home page