Saint Benedict: Life and Legacy

Early Life

• Birth: Around 480
• Family: Roman noble of Norcia, twin sister Scholastica
• Patronage: Patron saint of Europe and students
• Feast Day: July 11th

Education and Early Monastic Life

• Education: Sent to Rome with a nurse to finish education
• Flight from Rome: Fled due to fear for his soul
• Early Solitude: Lived in a small village with his nurse
• Deeper Solitude: Moved to Subiaco mountains for deeper contemplation
  • Hermit Life: Lived under the guidance of hermit Romanus
  • Temptation and Resistance: Tempted by a vision of a woman, resisted by rolling in thornbush

Monastic Leadership

• Initial Leadership Request: Monks sought his leadership but tried to poison him due to his strictness
  • Miracle: Poisoned drink shattered when he prayed over it
• Establishing Monasteries: Founded 12 monasteries in Subiaco
• Monte Cassino: Established a significant monastery, centralizing monastic community
  • Rule of Saint Benedict: Collected beliefs and instructions on religious life

Death and Canonization

• Death: March 21st, 543, from a high fever
• Canonization: By Pope Honorius III in 1220

Iconography

• Common Symbols: Bell, broken tray, raven, crozier

Additional Resources

• More Information: Visit catholic.org
• Shop: catholicshopping.com for Saint Benedict items