THE DEATH OF SAINT BENEDICT

THE DEATH OF SAINT BENEDICT - 21 MARCH

THE DEATH OF SAINT BENEDICT

Saint Benedict of Nursia, Abbot, founded numerous monasteries, and on the summit of Monte Cassino (in the Samnite country, south-east of Rome) he erected that new settlement which became a source of rich blessings for all generations to come, and produced so many saints. Here stood an old temple and a grove dedicated to Apollo, which were still frequented by people of that region. The sight of the pagan abominations kindled his zeal; he preached the gospel and by the power of his preaching and miracles brought many to conversion. He smashed the idol, felled the grove and built on the ruins of the idol temple two prayer houses or chapels, invoking Saint John and Saint Martin. This is the origin of the famous monastery of Monte-Cassino (Mons-Cassinus), for which our saint laid the foundation stone in A.D. 529 at the age of 48.

Benedict was not versed in the worldly sciences, but he possessed the inward anointing of the Spirit by which he was initiated into the mysteries of the kingdom of God. This is particularly evident in the rules of his order, which he wrote at Monte Cassino and which are based on silence, prayer, humility and obedience. A spirit of wisdom and perspicacity blows in it, Saint Gregory the Great was so amazed that he had no hesitation in preferring this Rule to all the others. They were gradually accepted and followed by all the monks of the West.

When Saint Benedict's life was drawing to a close, he still sent Placidus and several companions to Sicily to found another monastery; and dispatched Maurus on a mission to Gaul or France. After his sister Saint Scholastica (February 10) had passed on, his days on earth were also numbered. Six days before his death, which he prophesied, he had his resting place dug, and scarcely was the grave finished when a fever seized him. On the sixth day of his illness, he asked to be carried to the church to pray and to receive the sacraments.

Afterwards, he gave his disciples a few more admonitions, prayed, and quietly gave up the ghost on a Saturday, March 21, probably in the year 534 at the age of 63; of those years had spent 14 at Monte Cassino. Two of the brethren saw his soul ascending towards heaven along a long path lit with flaming lamps and covered with most magnificent robes. Countless miracles, both during his life and after his death, showed the sanctity of his life.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 1, Augsburg, pp. 429-33 - 🎨 Death of Saint Benedict, from an Italian illuminated manuscript)

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable Feast of the Death of Saint Benedict may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org

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