It’s indeed unfortunate that we lack a contemporary biography of Saint Benedict, the individual who has been most influential to Western monasticism. Although St. Gregory briefly depicts Benedict in his later Dialogues, these writings focus more on the miraculous aspects of Benedict’s life rather than providing a comprehensive biography.
Saint Benedict, born into an esteemed family in central Italy, was drawn to the monastic life early on. He studied in Rome but was disheartened by the state of the world – pagan armies on the move, the Church in schism, war causing suffering among the people, and morality sinking to new lows.
Initially, Benedict chose the life of a hermit, but he soon realized that solitude was no more attainable in a small town than in a bustling city. Consequently, he retreated to a mountain cave for three years. Although some monks invited him to lead them for a period, they found his strict regimen disagreeable. Despite this, Benedict started transitioning from a hermit’s lifestyle to a communal one. His vision was to bring together diverse groups of monks into a single ‘Grand Monastery.’ The aim was to foster unity, brotherhood, and continuous worship under one roof.
Ultimately, Benedict commenced the construction of what would eventually become one of the world’s most renowned monasteries—Monte Cassino, situated in a commanding position overlooking three valleys that stretched towards the mountains north of Naples.
Benedict’s Rule, which evolved over time, advocated a balanced life of liturgical prayer, study, manual labor, and communal living under a shared father (abbot). Benedictine asceticism is praised for its temperance, and the Benedictines are known for their commitment to the welfare of the local communities. Over the course of the Middle Ages, all Western monasticism was gradually brought under Saint Benedict’s Rule.
In the present day, the Benedictine family is represented by two main branches: the Benedictine Federation and the Cistercians.
Editorial credit: Nancy Bauer / Shutterstock.com
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