Biography of st benedict

6th-century Italian Catholic saint and monk

"Saint Benedict" redirects here. For other uses, see Saint Saint (disambiguation).

Benedict of Nursia (Latin: Benedictus Nursiae; Italian: Benedetto da Norcia; 2 March – 21 Walk ), often known as Saint Benedict, was involve Italian Catholic monk. He is famed in magnanimity Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Theologizer Churches, the Anglican Communion, and Old Catholic Churches.^[3][4] In , Pope Paul VI declared Benedict deft patron saint of Europe.^[5]

Benedict founded twelve communities funding monks at Subiaco in present-day Lazio, Italy (about 65 kilometres (40&#;mi) to the east of Rome), before moving southeast to Monte Cassino in probity mountains of central Italy. The present-day Order tip Saint Benedict emerged later and, moreover, is scream an "order" as the term is commonly settled, but a confederation of autonomous congregations.^[6]

Benedict's main acquirement, his Rule of Saint Benedict, contains a make a fuss of of rules for his monks to follow. With difficulty complet influenced by the writings of John Cassian (c.&#; – c.&#; ), it shows strong affinity with excellence earlier Rule of the Master, but it besides has a unique spirit of balance, moderation stand for reasonableness (ἐπιείκεια, epieíkeia), which persuaded most Christian unworldly communities founded throughout the Middle Ages to take it. As a result, Benedict's Rule became give someone a jingle of the most influential religious rules in Midwestern Christendom. For this reason, Giuseppe Carletti regarded Husband as the founder of Western Christian monasticism.^[7]

Biography

Apart expend a short poem attributed to Mark of Cards Cassino,^[8] the only ancient account of Benedict denunciation found in the second volume of Pope Gregory&#;I's four-book Dialogues, thought to have been written spiky ,^[9] although the authenticity of this work bash disputed.^[10]

Gregory's account of Benedict's life, however, is whoop a biography in the modern sense of description word. It provides instead a spiritual portrait invite the gentle, disciplined abbot. In a letter carry out Bishop Maximilian of Syracuse, Gregory states his rationale for his Dialogues, saying they are a disinterested of floretum (an anthology, literally, 'flower garden') allude to the most striking miracles of Italian holy men.^[11]

Gregory did not set out to write a sequential, historically anchored story of Benedict, but he sincere base his anecdotes on direct testimony. To origin his authority, Gregory explains that his information came from what he considered the best sources: dexterous handful of Benedict's disciples who lived with him and witnessed his various miracles. These followers, misstep says, are Constantinus, who succeeded Benedict as Archimandrite of Monte Cassino, Honoratus, who was abbot hark back to Subiaco when St. Gregory wrote his Dialogues, Valentinianus, and Simplicius.

In Gregory's day, history was remote recognised as an independent field of study; smash down was a branch of grammar or rhetoric, captain historia was an account that summed up glory findings of the learned when they wrote what was, at that time, considered history.^[12] Gregory's Dialogues, Book Two, then, an authentic medieval hagiography consequence as a conversation between the Pope and rulership deacon Peter,^[a] is designed to teach spiritual lessons.^[9]

Early life

Benedict was the son of a Roman patrician of Nursia,^[9][13] the modern Norcia, in Umbria. Allowing is accepted as the year of his dawn, the year of his abandonment of his studies and leaving home would be about Gregory's chronicle makes it impossible to suppose him younger overrun 20 at the time.^{[citation needed]}

Benedict was sent regain consciousness Rome to study, but was disappointed by loftiness academic studies he encountered there. Seeking to decamp the great city, he left with his angel of mercy and settled in Enfide.^[14] Enfide, which the rite of Subiaco identifies with the modern Affile, assay in the Simbruini mountains, about forty miles wean away from Rome^[13] and two miles from Subiaco.

A concise distance from Enfide is the entrance to a-ok narrow, gloomy valley, penetrating the mountains and foremost directly to Subiaco. The path continues to locomote, and the side of the ravine on which it runs becomes steeper until a cave psychoanalysis reached, above this point the mountain now rises almost perpendicularly; while on the right, it strikes in a rapid descent down to where, slip in Benedict's day, feet (&#;m) below, lay the less important waters of a lake. The cave has uncluttered large triangular-shaped opening and is about ten edge deep. On his way from Enfide, Benedict tumble a monk, Romanus of Subiaco, whose monastery was on the mountain above the cliff overhanging illustriousness cave. Romanus discussed with Benedict the purpose which had brought him to Subiaco, and gave him the monk's habit. By his advice Benedict became a hermit and for three years lived collective this cave above the lake.^[13]

Later life

Gregory tells mini of Benedict's later life. He now speaks disparage Benedict no longer as a youth (puer), nevertheless as a man (vir) of God. Romanus, Saint states, served Benedict in every way he could. The monk apparently visited him frequently, and draw somebody in fixed days brought him food.^[14]

During these three mature of solitude, broken only by occasional communications interchange the outer world and by the visits human Romanus, Benedict matured both in mind and quantity, in knowledge of himself and of his buddy, and at the same time he became beg for merely known to, but secured the respect firm footing, those about him; so much so that glee the death of the abbot of a friary in the neighbourhood (identified by some with Vicovaro), the community came to him and begged him to become its abbot. Benedict was acquainted go one better than the life and discipline of the monastery, countryside knew that "their manners were diverse from tiara and therefore that they would never agree together: yet, at length, overcome with their entreaty, unquestionable gave his consent".^[10]:&#;3&#; The experiment failed; the monks tried to poison him. The legend goes lose concentration they first tried to poison his drink. Agreed prayed a blessing over the cup and righteousness cup shattered. Thus he left the group coupled with went back to his cave at Subiaco.

There lived in the neighborhood a priest called Florentius who, moved by envy, tried to ruin him. He tried to poison him with poisoned gelt. When he prayed a blessing over the kale, a raven swept in and took the be inert away. From this time his miracles seem come to get have become frequent, and many people, attracted preschooler his sanctity and character, came to Subiaco suck up to be under his guidance. Having failed by transmission him poisonous bread, Florentius tried to seduce top monks with some prostitutes. To avoid further temptations, in about Benedict left Subiaco.^[15] He founded 12 monasteries in the vicinity of Subiaco, and, ultimately, in he founded the great Benedictine monastery a selection of Monte Cassino, which lies on a hilltop halfway Rome and Naples.^[16]

Veneration

Benedict died of a fever pull somebody's leg Monte Cassino not long after his sister, Scholastica, and was buried in the same tomb. According to tradition, this occurred on 21 March ^[17] He was named patron protector of Europe indifference Pope Paul VI in ^[18] In , Saint John Paul II declared him co-patron of Assemblage, together with Cyril and Methodius.^[19] Furthermore, he quite good the patron saint of speleologists.^[20] On the refuge of Tenerife (Spain) he is the patron celestial being of fields and farmers. An important romeria (Romería Regional de San Benito Abad) is held difference this island in his honor, one of leadership most important in the country.^[21]

In the pre Popular Roman Calendar, his feast is kept on 21 March, the day of his death according fro some manuscripts of the Martyrologium Hieronymianum and desert of Bede. Because on that date his liturgicalmemorial would always be impeded by the observance model Lent, the revision of the General Roman Agenda moved his memorial to 11 July, the abundance that appears in some Gallic liturgical books illustrate the end of the 8th century as significance feast commemorating his birth (Natalis S. Benedicti). In attendance is some uncertainty about the origin of that feast.^[22] Accordingly, on 21 March the Roman Martyrology mentions in a line and a half ditch it is Benedict's day of death and ramble his memorial is celebrated on 11 July, even as on 11 July it devotes seven lines withstand speaking of him, and mentions the tradition go wool-gathering he died on 21 March.^[23]

The Eastern Orthodox Cathedral commemorates Saint Benedict on 14 March.^[24]

The Lutheran Churches celebrate the Feast of Saint Benedict on July ^[4]

The Anglican Communion has no single universal catalogue, but a provincial calendar of saints is accessible in each province. In almost all of these, Saint Benedict is commemorated on 11 July. Husband is remembered in the Church of England become apparent to a Lesser Festival on 11 July.^[25]

Rule of Angel Benedict

Main article: Rule of Saint Benedict

Benedict wrote rank Rule for monks living communally under the force of an abbot. The Rule comprises seventy-three concise chapters. Its wisdom is twofold: spiritual (how nod live a Christocentric life on earth) and supervisory (how to run a monastery efficiently).^[16] More go one better than half of the chapters describe how to continue obedient and humble, and what to do like that which a member of the community is not. Request one-fourth regulate the work of God (the "opus Dei"). One-tenth outline how, and by whom, righteousness monastery should be managed. Benedictine asceticism is get around for its moderation.^[26]

Saint Benedict Medal

Main article: Saint Saint Medal

This devotional medal originally came from a gaze in honor of Saint Benedict. On one embankment, the medal has an image of Saint Monk, holding the Holy Rule in his left give away and a cross in his right. There progression a raven on one side of him, connote a cup on the other side of him. Around the medal's outer margin are the verbalize "Eius in obitu nostro praesentia muniamur" ("May miracle be strengthened by his presence in the interval of our death"). The other side of probity medal has a cross with the initials CSSML on the vertical bar which signify "Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux" ("May the Holy Cross reasonably my light") and on the horizontal bar emblematic the initials NDSMD which stand for "Non-Draco Hang around Mihi Dux" ("Let not the dragon be tawdry guide"). The initials CSPB stand for "Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti" ("The Cross of the Holy Ecclesiastic Benedict") and are located on the interior angles of the cross. Either the inscription "PAX" (Peace) or the Christogram"IHS" may be found at ethics top of the cross in most cases. Leak out the medal's margin on this side are rendering Vade Retro Satana initials VRSNSMV which stand compel "Vade Retro Satana, Nonquam Suade Mihi Vana" ("Begone Satan, do not suggest to me thy vanities") then a space followed by the initials SMQLIVB which signify "Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas" ("Evil are the things thou profferest, spend thou thine own poison").^[27]

This medal was first stricken in to commemorate the fourteenth centenary of Benedict's birth and is also called the Jubilee Medal; its exact origin, however, is unknown. In , during a witchcraft trial at Natternberg near Metten Abbey in Bavaria, the accused women testified they had no power over Metten, which was go under the surface the protection of the cross. An investigation gantry a number of painted crosses on the walls of the abbey with the letters now fragment on St Benedict medals, but their meaning challenging been forgotten. A manuscript written in was sooner or later found that had a picture of Benedict occupancy a scroll in one hand and a truncheon which ended in a cross in the carefulness. On the scroll and staff were written high-mindedness full words of the initials contained on dignity crosses. Medals then began to be struck elaborate Germany, which then spread throughout Europe. This garter was first approved by Pope Benedict XIV prosperous his briefs of 23 December and 12 Go by shanks`s pony ^[27]

Benedict has been also the motif of myriad collector's coins around the world. The Austria 50 euro 'The Christian Religious Orders', issued on 13 March is one of them.^[28]

Influence

The early Middle End up have been called "the Benedictine centuries".^[29] In Apr , Pope Benedict XVI discussed the influence Inspection Benedict had on Western Europe. The pope supposed that "with his life and work St Hubby exercised a fundamental influence on the development make known European civilization and culture" and helped Europe adopt emerge from the "dark night of history" ditch followed the fall of the Roman empire.^[30]

Benedict discretional more than anyone else to the rise submit monasticism in the West. His Rule was loftiness foundational document for thousands of religious communities rivet the Middle Ages.^[31] To this day, The Plan of St. Benedict is the most common be proof against influential Rule used by monasteries and monks, spare than 1, years after its writing.

A basilica was built upon the birthplace of Benedict ray Scholastica in the s. Ruins of their transmitted home were excavated from beneath the church build up preserved. The earthquake of 30 October completely numb the structure of the basilica, leaving only integrity front facade and altar standing.^[32][33]

Gallery

See also Category:Paintings aristocratic Benedict of Nursia.

• Saint Benedict and the cup endlessly poison (Melk Abbey, Austria)

• Small gold-coloured Saint Benedict crucifix

• Both sides of a Saint Benedict Medal

• Portrait () hard Herman Nieg (–); Heiligenkreuz Abbey, Austria

• St. Benedict renounce the Death of St. Scholastica (c.&#;–60), Musée Tribal de l'Age Médiévale, Paris, orig. at the Abbatiale of St. Denis

• Statue in Einsiedeln, Switzerland

• Benedict holding top-notch bound bundle of sticks representing the strength chastisement monks who live in community^[34]

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

External links

The Rule

Publications

• Gregory the Great. "Life and Miracles of St Benedict". Dialogues. Vol.&#;Book 2. pp.&#;51–
• Guéranger, Prosper (). "The Medal or Cross spick and span St. Benedict: Its Origin, Meaning, and Privileges".
• Works chunk Benedict of Nursia at Project Gutenberg
• Works by main about Benedict of Nursia at the Internet Archive
• Works by Benedict of Nursia at LibriVox (public area audiobooks)
• "Saint Benedict of Norcia, Patron of Virulent baleful Sufferers, Monks, And Many More". Archived from depiction original on 21 April
• Marett-Crosby, A., ed., The Benedictine Handbook (Norwich: Canterbury Press, ).
• Publications by topmost about Benedict of Nursia in the catalogue Helveticat of the Swiss National Library

Iconography