Benedict of Nursia

Saint Benedict Detail from a fresco by Fra Angelico
Abbot Patron of Europe
Born	c. 480 Norcia ( Umbria , Italy )
Died	21 March 543 (aged 64) Monte Cassino
Honored in	Roman Catholicism Anglican Communion Eastern Orthodoxy Lutheran Church
Canonized	1220, Rome by Pope Honorius III
Major shrine	Monte Cassino Abbey, with his burial Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire , near Orléans , France Sacro Speco, at Subiaco, Italy
Feast	July 11 ( Roman Catholic calendar of saints ), ( Anglican Communion ) March 14 ( Byzantine Rite ) March 21 (on local calendars and in the General Roman Calendar of 1962 )
Attributes	-Bell -Broken tray -Broken cup and serpent representing poison -Broken utensil -Bush -Crosier -Man in a Benedictine cowl holding Benedict’s rule or a rod of discipline -Raven
Patronage	-Against poison -Against witchcraft -Agricultural workers -Cavers -Civil engineers – Coppersmiths -Dying people -Erysipelas – Europe -Farmers -Fever -Gall stones – Heerdt ( Germany ) – Heraldry and Officers of arms -the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest -Inflammatory diseases -Italian architects -Kidney disease -Monks -Nettle rash – Norcia ( Italy ) -People in religious orders – Schoolchildren -Servants who have broken their master’s belongings -Speliologists -Spelunkers -Temptations

Benedict of Nursia

(

Italian

:


San Benedetto da Norcia


) (c. 480 – 21 March 543 or 547) is a Christian saint, honored by the

Anglican Church

and the

Catholic Church

as the

patron saint

of Europe and students.


^[1]

Benedict founded twelve communities for monks at

Subiaco, Italy

(about 40 miles (64 km) to the east of

Rome

), before moving to

Monte Cassino

in the mountains of

southern Italy

. The

Catholic Order of St Benedict

and the

Anglican Order of St Benedict

are of later origin and, moreover, not an “order” as commonly understood but merely a confederation of autonomous congregations.


^[2]

Benedict’s main achievement is his ”

Rule of Saint Benedict

“, containing

precepts

for his monks. It is heavily influenced by the writings of

John Cassian

, and shows strong affinity with the

Rule of the Master

. But it also has a unique spirit of balance, moderation and reasonableness (ἐπιείκεια,

epieikeia

), and this persuaded most religious communities founded throughout the Middle Ages to adopt it. As a result, his Rule became one of the most influential religious rules in Western Christendom. For this reason, Benedict is often called the founder of western monasticism.