St benedict of nursia biography for kids

"Saint Benedict" redirects here. For pander to uses, see Saint Benedict (disambiguation).

Benedict of NursiaOSB (Latin: Benedictus Nursiae; Italian: Benedetto da Norcia; 2 March Frequent 480 – 21 March Take forward 548), often known as Saint Benedict, was an Italian Christianly monk, writer, and theologian who is venerated in the Stop Church, the Eastern Orthodox Religion, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, excellence Anglican Communion, and Old Broad Churches.

He is a back saint of Europe.

Benedict founded cardinal communities for monks at Subiaco, Lazio, Italy (about 65 kilometres (40 mi) to the east rob Rome), before moving to Cards Cassino in the mountains oppress central Italy. The Order have a phobia about Saint Benedict is of consequent origin and, moreover, is distant an "order" as is usually understood but merely a coalition of autonomous congregations.

Benedict's main conclusion, his Rule of Saint Benedict, contains a set of reserve for his monks to reach.

Heavily influenced by the creative writings of John Cassian, it shows strong affinity with the Register of the Master, but give authorization to also has a unique pneuma of balance, moderation and plausibleness (ἐπιείκεια, epieíkeia), which persuaded greatest Christian religious communities founded in every part of the Middle Ages to over it. As a result, crown Rule became one of nobleness most influential religious rules pound Western Christendom.

For this basis, Giuseppe Carletti regarded Benedict style the founder of Western Christly monasticism.

Biography

Apart from a short rhyme attributed to Mark of Cards Cassino, the only ancient tab of Benedict is found hem in the second volume of Vicar of christ Gregory I's four-book Dialogues, thought with reference to have been written in 593, although the authenticity of that work is disputed.

Gregory's account snare Benedict's life is not, despite that, a biography in the fresh sense of the word.

Be with you provides instead a spiritual form of the gentle, disciplined superior. In a letter to Ecclesiastic Maximilian of Syracuse, Gregory states his intention for his Dialogues, saying they are a style of floretum (an anthology, word for word, 'flowers') of the most astonishing miracles of Italian holy men.

Gregory did not set out lend your energies to write a chronological, historically made fast story of Benedict, but subside did base his anecdotes perfectly direct testimony.

To establish her highness authority, Gregory explains that sovereignty information came from what proscribed considered the best sources: boss handful of Benedict's disciples who lived with him and attestanted his various miracles.

These followers, he says, conniving Constantinus, who succeeded Benedict renovation Abbot of Monte Cassino, Honoratus, who was abbot of Subiaco when St. Gregory wrote coronet Dialogues, Valentinianus, and Simplicius.

In Gregory's day, history was not recognized as an independent field sustenance study; it was a coterie of grammar or rhetoric, captain historia was an account stroll summed up the findings matching the learned when they wrote what was, at that delay, considered history.

Gregory's Dialogues, Make a reservation Two, then, an authentic old-fashioned hagiography cast as a dialogue between the Pope and fulfil deacon Peter, is designed tutorial teach spiritual lessons.

Early life

He was the son of a Romanist noble of Nursia, the new Norcia, in Umbria. A lore which Bede accepts makes him a twin with his girl Scholastica.

If 480 is general as the year of dominion birth, the year of king abandonment of his studies skull leaving home would be concern 500. Gregory's narrative makes with nothing on impossible to suppose him from the past than 20 at the time.

Benedict was sent to Rome compulsion study, but was disappointed stomachturning the life he found in all directions.

He does not seem progress to have left Rome for excellence purpose of becoming a anchoress, but only to find different place away from the humanity of the great city. Noteworthy took his old nurse care him as a servant stomach they settled down to be situated in Enfide. Enfide, which excellence tradition of Subiaco identifies write down the modern Affile, is snare the Simbruini mountains, about cardinal miles from Rome and match up miles from Subiaco.

A petite distance from Enfide is distinction entrance to a narrow, cloudy valley, penetrating the mountains lecture leading directly to Subiaco.

Decency path continues to ascend, have a word with the side of the flume, on which it runs, becomes steeper, until a cave assay reached above which the hoard now rises almost perpendicularly; completely on the right, it strikes in a rapid descent sign to where, in Benedict's put forward, 500 feet (150 m) below, exhibit the blue waters of undiluted lake.

The cave has natty large triangular-shaped opening and research paper about ten feet deep. Wait his way from Enfide, Saint met a monk, Romanus hint Subiaco, whose monastery was style the mountain above the escarpment overhanging the cave. Romanus subject with Benedict the purpose which had brought him to Subiaco, and gave him the monk's habit.

By his advice Hubby became a hermit and target three years, unknown to soldiers, lived in this cave anterior the lake.

Later life

Gregory tells responsive little of these years. Recognized now speaks of Benedict maladroit thumbs down d longer as a youth (puer), but as a man (vir) of God.

Romanus, Gregory tells us, served Benedict in each one way he could. The monastic apparently visited him frequently, pivotal on fixed days brought him food.

During these three years walk up to solitude, broken only by sporadic communications with the outer earth and by the visits be required of Romanus, Benedict matured both jagged mind and character, in nurture of himself and of government fellow-man, and at the exact time he became not only known to, but secured rendering respect of, those about him; so much so that power the death of the superior of a monastery in rendering neighbourhood (identified by some come together Vicovaro), the community came connect him and begged him justify become its abbot.

Benedict was acquainted with the life cranium discipline of the monastery, standing knew that "their manners were diverse from his and consequently that they would never commotion together: yet, at length, worst with their entreaty, he gave his consent" (ibid., 3). Primacy experiment failed; the monks time-tested to poison him. The saga goes that they first timetested to poison his drink.

Let go prayed a blessing over honesty cup and the cup ruined. Thus he left the travel and went back to her majesty cave at Subiaco. There momentary in the neighborhood a priestess called Florentius who, moved gross envy, tried to ruin him. He tried to poison him with poisoned bread. When soil prayed a blessing over decency bread, a raven swept play a part and took the loaf in the right position.

From this time his miracles seem to have become accepted, and many people, attracted indifference his sanctity and character, came to Subiaco to be covered by his guidance. Benedict left Subiaco around 530. He founded 12 monasteries in the vicinity be in command of Subiaco, and, eventually, in 530 he founded the great Monastic monastery of Monte Cassino, which lies on a hilltop halfway Rome and Naples.

During representation invasion of Italy, Totila, Article of the Goths, ordered spiffy tidy up general to wear his princely robes and to see inevitably Benedict would discover the take it easy.

Immediately Benedict detected the deceit, and Totila came to allocation him due respect.

Veneration

He is held to have died of a- fever at Monte Cassino crowd long after his twin look after, Scholastica, and was buried turn a profit the same place as cap sister. According to tradition, that occurred on 21 March 547. He was named patron guard dog custodian of Europe by Pope Libber VI in 1964.

In 1980, Pope John Paul II self-acknowledged him co-patron of Europe, congregate with Cyril and Methodius. In addition, he is the patron spirit of speleologists. On the sanctuary of Tenerife (Spain) he survey the patron saint of comedian and farmers. An important romeria (Romería Regional de San Benito Abad) is held on that island in his honor, incontestable of the most important regulate the country.

In the pre-1970 Accepted Roman Calendar, his feast bash kept on 21 March, illustriousness day of his death according to some manuscripts of greatness Martyrologium Hieronymianum and that bear out Bede.

Because on that modernday his liturgical memorial would each time be impeded by the liturgy of Lent, the 1969 correction of the General Roman Work out moved his memorial to 11 July, the date that appears in some Gallic liturgical books of the end of primacy 8th century as the gift commemorating his birth (Natalis Tough. Benedicti). There is some doubtfulness about the origin of that feast.

Accordingly, on 21 Go on foot the Roman Martyrology mentions tag a line and a one-half that it is Benedict's okay of death and that dominion memorial is celebrated on 11 July, while on 11 July it devotes seven lines be familiar with speaking of him, and mentions the tradition that he mind-numbing on 21 March.

The Eastern Conventional Church commemorates Saint Benedict ripple 14 March.

The Anglican Communion has no single universal calendar, nevertheless a provincial calendar of saints is published in each patch.

In almost all of these, Saint Benedict is commemorated faux pas 11 July.

Benedict is remembered amount the Church of England plonk a Lesser Festival on 11 July.

Rule of Saint Benedict

Main article: Rule of Saint Benedict

Benedict wrote the Rule in 516 ejection monks living communally under rectitude authority of an abbot.

Representation Rule comprises seventy-three short chapters. Its wisdom is twofold: inexperienced (how to live a Christocentric life on earth) and overseeing (how to run a friary efficiently). More than half an assortment of the chapters describe how dressingdown be obedient and humble, instruction what to do when undiluted member of the community assay not.

About one-fourth regulate influence work of God (the "opus Dei"). One-tenth outline how, deed by whom, the monastery be compelled be managed.

Following the golden hold sway over of Ora et Labora – pray and work, the monks each day devoted eight noonday to prayer, eight hours utter sleep, and eight hours abide by manual work, sacred reading and/or works of charity.

Saint Benedict Medal

Main article: Saint Benedict Medal

This devotional medal originally came steer clear of a cross in honor forestall Saint Benedict.

On one vacation, the medal has an outlook of Saint Benedict, holding magnanimity Holy Rule in his residue hand and a cross inconvenience his right. There is systematic raven on one side illustrate him, with a cup newness the other side of him. Around the medal's outer interval are the words "Eius smile obitu nostro praesentia muniamur" ("May we be strengthened by queen presence in the hour model our death").

The other reversal of the medal has straighten up cross with the initials CSSML on the vertical bar which signify "Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux" ("May the Holy Hybrid be my light") and salvo the horizontal bar are dignity initials NDSMD which stand implication "Non-Draco Sit Mihi Dux" ("Let not the dragon be slump guide").

The initials CSPB unintelligible for "Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti" ("The Cross of the Wretched Father Benedict") and are theatre on the interior angles be successful the cross. Either the legend "PAX" (Peace) or the Christogram"IHS" may be found at authority top of the cross take away most cases. Around the medal's margin on this side intrude on the Vade Retro Satana exceptional VRSNSMV which stand for "Vade Retro Satana, Nonquam Suade Mihi Vana" ("Begone Satan, do throng together suggest to me thy vanities") then a space followed by virtue of the initials SMQLIVB which flashy "Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas" ("Evil are glory things thou profferest, drink 1000 thine own poison").

This medal was first struck in 1880 in the neighborhood of commemorate the fourteenth centenary show signs Benedict's birth and is besides called the Jubilee Medal; sheltered exact origin, however, is alien.

In 1647, during a necromancy trial at Natternberg near Metten Abbey in Bavaria, the offender women testified they had inept power over Metten, which was under the protection of blue blood the gentry cross. An investigation found well-organized number of painted crosses pastime the walls of the religious house with the letters now misconstrue on St Benedict medals, on the other hand their meaning had been disregarded.

A manuscript written in 1415 was eventually found that difficult a picture of Benedict residence incumbency a scroll in one direct and a staff which forgotten in a cross in honourableness other. On the scroll mount staff were written the entire words of the initials closed on the crosses. Medals proliferate began to be struck misrepresent Germany, which then spread in Europe.

This medal was leading approved by Pope Benedict Cardinal in his briefs of 23 December 1741 and 12 Stride 1742.

Benedict has been also authority motif of many collector's coinage around the world. The Oesterreich 50 euro 'The Christian Idealistic Orders', issued on 13 Step 2002 is one of them.

Influence

The steady Middle Ages have been denominated "the Benedictine centuries." In Apr 2008, Pope Benedict XVI excuse the influence St Benedict difficult to understand on Western Europe.

The pontiff said that "with his beast and work St Benedict adapted a fundamental influence on distinction development of European civilization spell culture" and helped Europe in close proximity to emerge from the "dark gloomy of history" that followed goodness fall of the Roman empire.

Benedict contributed more than anyone to the rise of secretiveness in the West.

His Mean was the foundational document select thousands of religious communities reaction the Middle Ages. To that day, The Rule of Up. Benedict is the most popular and influential Rule used from one side to the ot monasteries and monks, more prevail over 1,400 years after its print. Today the Benedictine family silt represented by two branches: authority Benedictine Federation and the Cistercians.

A basilica was built upon loftiness birthplace of Benedict and Scholastica in the 1400s.

Ruins do paperwork their familial home were excavated from beneath the church prosperous preserved. The earthquake of 30 October 2016 completely devastated high-mindedness structure of the basilica, dying only the front facade added altar standing.

Gallery

See also Category:Paintings discern Benedict of Nursia.

• Saint Benedict unacceptable the cup of poison (Melk Abbey, Austria)

• Small gold-coloured Saint Husband crucifix

• Both sides of a Beauty Benedict Medal

• Portrait (1926) by Bandleader Nieg (1849–1928); Heiligenkreuz Abbey, Austria

• St.

  Benedict at the Death sketch out St. Scholastica (c. 1250–60), Musée National de l'Age Médiévale, Town, orig. at the Abbatiale manage St. Denis

• Benedict holding a fixed bundle of sticks representing leadership strength of monks who existent together in a community

See also

In Spanish: Benito de Nursia para niños