[Music] for 1,500 years Benedictine monks have framed all of their lives all of their being around a tiny set of guidelines the rule but where did the rule come from who is Saint Benedict born in the year 482 Roman Nobles Benedict of Nursia was raised in a time of upheaval the Roman Empire had fallen and licentiousness and conflict ruled to the day disillusioned during his studies he struck out from Rome entering the wild seeking solitude in his youth he had already performed miracles the simple mending of a plate a sign of greater things to come traveling alone to the east traversing the Apennine mountains he came upon a cave at Subiaco there he lived as a hermit sustained only by the secret kindness of the monk st. Romano's who lowered bread by a rope to Benedict's cliffside home after battling temptation and the devil for three years in his mountain cave a group of monks pleaded with him to lead their community over time the monks grew to resent his radical way of life and sought to dispose of him by poisoning his wine upon blessing the wine the glass shattered and the monks treachery was revealed Saint Benedict departed again to seek God alone in the wilderness as time wore on he sought to share his love of Christ with others founding 12 monasteries ultimately settling in Monte Cassino he began writing a set of principles for his monks to live by having the knowledge of a life of seeking Christ thus was born the rule at the base of Monte Cassino st. Benedict's twin sister st. Scholastica established the first Benedictine community of women at the age of 67 Saint Benedict was struck with a fever knowing his hour was approaching he summoned monks to pray by his side and on March 21st 547 Saint Benedict died as his brothers raised his arms in one final prayer as he passed from this life from this seed Benedictine monasticism spread throughout Europe as the barbarian invasions wreaked havoc Benedictine monks said about tirelessly deciphering and copying texts clinging to the Christian call as civilization devolved around them through their work in prayer they retained a culture that as the tumultuous nests of society began to call would be planted once again and nourished by monastic roots today st. Benedict is hailed as the father of Western monastic he is the patron saint of Europe and the holy father of the Benedictine Order what would Western civilization look like without st. Benedict it is impossible to say but for more than 1500 years monks across the world have carried on his great work forever living out his directive that in all things God may be glorified [Music]