A fair and very human friend
In his insatiable search for the Lord, Benedict fled Rome, thus leaving his place of study. As a result of this, he had to live with other people in an isolated place, which he took advantage of to organize a life in community. From this new way of life the first monastery in the West was born, whose main activities were prayer, manual work and reading.
In fact, Benito was a man who renounced everything to live in austerity, because he was simply looking for the essential, while he distanced himself from the world. This detachment from worldly things is the foundation of the Benedictine rule, whose balance managed to transform Western civilization and give rise to Christian Europe. Furthermore, his attention to the needs of the people and his gentleness in the face of human weakness made him a model of development for an entire continent… and more than that!
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Biography of Benedict of Nursia
Tradition has it that Benito was born in Nursia, in the province of Umbria (Italy), in the year 480 together with his twin sister, who would later become Saint Scholastica. Both were born into an aristocratic family belonging to the Gens Anicia.
When he was a teenager, he was sent to study in Rome, a place full of corruption, which greatly upset him. For this reason, at the age of fifteen, he decided to leave Rome to seek God and get away from this sinful world. Estimating that the Lord was the only thing he needed, he left without thinking about it towards Affile together with his caretaker towards him; there he performed his first miracle, which led him to be recognized. Later, he continued his journey and met Román, a monk from a nearby monastery, who guided him to hermit life, so he settled in a cave on the mountain of Taleo. There he began to experience strong spiritual struggles, in addition to being hit by loneliness and temptations. Later, he could also feel the action of Divine Providence in his life, which does not abandon those who trust in it.
Little by little Benito became known in his environment and people came from everywhere to listen to his advice. For this reason, he left his life as a hermit for a time and began to live in community. Some monks even asked her to become his superior, but soon after they tried to poison him and Benito preferred to return to his solitude, under the gaze of the Lord.
Subsequently, the holy hermit saw a large influx of followers and again left his hermitage to establish communities in the Valle dell’Aniene. In fact, Benedict founded thirteen monastic communities, including the monasteries of Subiaco and Monte Cassino (Monte Cassino Abbey). During his lifetime, this great man of God demonstrated a great gift of discernment, which allowed him to distinguish what came from man, from God or from the Devil.
Also, Around the year 540, Benedict wrote a Rule of Life for his communitieswhich is summed up in this famous motto: Ora et Labora (Pray and work). Finally, Benedict died in 549 and his feast is celebrated on July 11.
The legacy of Saint Benedict
Around the years 593-594, Pope Saint Gregory the Great, a monk at the Abbey of Saint Andrew in Rome, decided write the life of Saint Benedict. This happened about 30 years after his death. In the work entitled dialoguesSaint Gregory recounts the miracles of the saint and presents him as a model of holiness. In fact, through these stories, Saint Gregory was able to make known the life and the Rule of Saint Benedict. It should be noted that this Rule was taken as the basis for religious life, which was poorly organized until then.
Later, in the 8th and 9th centuries, Charlemagne imposed the Rule of Saint Benedict throughout his empire, thus creating a source of unity for medieval Europe. In fact, thanks to the network of monasteries, cultural connections were established between all parts of the continent, thus establishing a European cultural identity. For this reason, in 1964, Saint Benedict was proclaimed patron saint of Europe by Paul VI.
The work of Saint Benedict of Nursia: the Benedictines
Saint Benedict’s Rule it is also the rule of the Cistercians and Trappists. In fact, in the eleventh century, the Benedictine order was reformed, thus giving rise to the Cistercian order. Later, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux made the Cistercian order a great influence.
In the eleventh and twelfth centuries, and after the crisis of the tenth century, religious life experienced considerable expansion and a period of exceptional fertility. In fact, at this time the orders of the Premonstratensians were founded, with Saint Norbert, of the Franciscans and the Poor Clares with Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Clare, of the Dominicans with Saint Dominic, of the Carthusians, with Saint Bruno and of the Carmelites. Best of all, these orders are still around and flourishing. In addition, it should be noted that the Benedictine order has spread to all continents and currently represents a monastic reality established throughout the world.
Saint Benedict’s medal
The Saint Benedict medal is a very ancient gift from God. It is a sacramental that has been recognized by the Catholic Church and has a great power of exorcism and liberation from demonic influences. In fact, the power of it lies in Christ himself, who gave the medal to the Church. Therefore, the medal can only work if we put our faith in Jesus. It is also true that the full meaning of the inscriptions on the medal was a mystery for a long time. However, in 1647 a manuscript was discovered in Metten Abbey in Bavaria, dated 1415, which explained the symbols inscribed on the medal.
It should be noted that the medal grants an unconditional indulgence to all those who “use it, kiss it or hold it in your hands with veneration”at the time of death.
Prayers to Saint Benedict
The intercession of Saint Benedict is recognized as powerful and effective. In fact, this wonderful saint fulfills a protective role for everyone, especially children. Even over the years, prayers to Saint Benedict have been the source of innumerable graces. Therefore, offers you the prayers to Saint Benedict, which are very beautiful and popular: