Saint of the day 11th July 2022, we celebrate Saint Benedict

SAINT OF THE DAY

Feastday:July 11

St. Benedict

(480 – 547)

St. Benedict was born into a distinguished family in central Italy, studied at Rome and early in life was drawn to the monastic life. At first he became a hermit. He soon realized that he could not live a hidden life in a small town any better than in a large city, so he withdrew to a cave high in the mountains for three years. Some monks chose him as their leader for a while, but found his strictness not to their taste. Still, the shift from hermit to community life had begun for him. He had an idea of gathering various families of monks into one “Grand Monastery” to give them the benefit of unity, fraternity, permanent worship in one house.

Finally he began to build what was to become one of the most famous monasteries in the world; blessed with more then 5000 saints, 24 Popes & 4500 Bishops. The Rule that gradually developed prescribed a life of liturgical prayer, study, manual labor and living together in community under a common father (superior). Benedictine asceticism is known for its moderation, and Benedictine charity has always shown concern for the people in the surrounding countryside. In the course of the Middle Ages, all monasticism in the West was gradually brought under the Rule of St. Benedict.

Today the Benedictine family is represented by two branches: the Benedictine Federation and the Cistercians. Soon people again flocked to him as his reputation for holiness, wisdom, and miracles spread far and wide. He died at Monte Cassino on March 21 and was named patron protector of Europe by Pope Paul VI in 1964.