Sign in
Benedict of Nursia
Photo: Fra Angelico, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons12

Benedict of Nursia

Italian Catholic saint and monk (480–547)

Benedict of Nursia (Latin: Benedictus Nursiensis; Italian: Benedetto da Norcia; 2 March 480 – 21 March 547), often known as Saint Benedict, was an Italian monk and the founder of the Order of Saint Benedict. He is famed in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Churches, the Anglican Communion, and Old Catholic Churches.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Benedict of Nursia (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Mar 4, 0480, died Mar 25, 0547.1

About

In 1964, Pope Paul VI declared Benedict a patron saint of Europe.

Benedict founded twelve communities for 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 the mountains of central Italy. The present-day Order of Saint Benedict emerged later and, moreover, is not an "order" as the term is commonly understood, but a confederation of autonomous congregations.

Benedict's main achievement, the Rule of Saint Benedict, contains a set of rules for his monks to follow. Heavily influenced by the writings of John Cassian (c. 360 – c. 435), it shows strong affinity with the earlier Rule of the Master, but it also has a unique spirit of balance, moderation and reasonableness (ἐπιείκεια, epieíkeia), which persuaded most religious orders and communities founded throughout the Middle Ages to adopt it. As a result, Benedict's monastic rule became one of the most influential in Western Christendom. For this reason, Giuseppe Carletti regarded Benedict as the founder of Western Christian monasticism.

From Wikipedia’s article on Benedict of Nursia, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2

Companies

Early life and education

Benedict was the son of a Roman noble of Nursia, the modern Norcia, in Umbria. According to Gregory's narrative, Benedict was born around 480, and the year in which he abandoned his studies and left home "was probably a few years before 500."

Benedict was sent to Rome to study, but was disappointed by the academic studies he encountered there. Seeking to flee the great city, he left with his nurse and settled in Enfide. Enfide, which the tradition of Subiaco identifies with the modern Affile, is in the Simbruini mountains, about forty miles from Rome and two miles from Subiaco.

A short distance from Enfide is the entrance to a narrow, gloomy valley, penetrating the mountains and leading directly to Subiaco. The path continues to ascend, and the side of the ravine on which it runs becomes steeper until a cave is reached, above this point the mountain now rises almost perpendicularly; while on the right, it strikes in a rapid descent down to where, in Benedict's day, 500 feet (150 m) below, lay the blue waters of a lake. The cave has a large triangular-shaped opening and is about ten feet deep. On his way from Enfide, Benedict met a monk, Romanus of Subiaco, whose monastery was on the mountain above the cliff overhanging the 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 in this cave above the lake.

From Wikipedia’s article on Benedict of Nursia (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Career

Occupation: theologian, writer, religious.8

  • Until 0547Abbot of Monte Cassino7
  • Date not recordedFounded Benedictine family3
  • Date not recordedFounded Benedictines4
  • Date not recordedFounded Nuns of the order of Saint Benedict5
  • Date not recordedFounded Monastery of Saint Scholastica6
  • Date not recordedFounder of Catholic religious community7

Personal life

  • BornMar 4, 0480, Norcia9
  • DiedMar 25, 0547, Abbey of Monte Cassino10

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12