Saint Benedict was born around 480 as the son of a Roman noble of Norcia and the twin to his sister Scholastica. He is the patron saint of Europe and students. His feast day is celebrated on July 11th.
When he was still young, Benedict was sent to Rome to finish his education with a nurse. Afraid for his soul, Benedict fled Rome, gave up his inheritance, and lived in a small village with his nurse. When God called him beyond this quiet life to an even deeper solitude, he went to the mountains of Subiaco.
Although becoming a hermit was not his purpose in leaving, there he lived as a shut-in under the direction of the hermit Romanus. One day, during his time living in a cave above a lake, the devil presented Benedict's imagination with a beautiful, tempting woman. Benedict resisted by rolling his body into a thornbush until it was covered in scrapes.
It is said through these bodily wounds he cured the wounds of his soul. Word traveled about Benedict's holiness, and a group of monks found him and asked for his leadership. Benedict warned the men that he would be too strict, but they insisted.
The monks later tried to poison Benedict once his warnings proved true, but when Benedict prayed over the poisoned drink, the glass shattered. The next set of followers seeking Benedict were sincere. leading to Benedict to establish 12 monasteries in Subiaco. However, it was in Monte Cassino where he founded the monastery that became the roots of the church's monastic system. Instead of founding small separate communities, he gathered his disciples into one whole community, which had never been done before.
Saint Benedict's beliefs and instructions on religious life were collected in what is now known as the Rule of Saint Benedict. Saint Benedict died on March 21st, 543 with a high fever on the very day God told him he would. He was later canonized by Pope Honorius the third in 1220. Saint Benedict is often pictured with a bell, a broken tray, a raven, or a crozier. To learn more about Saint Benedict visit catholic.org and if Saint Benedict inspires you or someone you know shop for his items by clicking on the catholicshopping.com link below for a one-of-a-kind shopping experience.