The twelve small monasteries that Benedict founded in Subiaco were flourishing!

Hundreds of monks came to seek God under his guidance!

But not everyone was happy about this...

An envious priest named Florentius hated Benedict!

"Why does everyone go to Benedict? I'm also a priest! I deserve attention!"

Florentius tried several times to destroy Benedict - even with poison and temptations!

Benedict realized: it was time to leave again!

Monte Cassino

Around the year 529, Benedict was almost 50 years old!

God called him to a new mission: go to Monte Cassino!

It was a high mountain in central Italy, between Rome and Naples!

At the top there was an ancient pagan temple dedicated to Apollo!

The people of the region still practiced pagan cults there!

Benedict climbed the mountain with some faithful disciples!

The first thing Benedict did was destroy the pagan temple!

He tore down Apollo's altar! He cut down the sacred grove to the idols!

And in the same place, he built two Christian chapels!

One dedicated to St. John the Baptist! Another to St. Martin of Tours!

Then, he began building the Monastery of Monte Cassino!

It would be the most important monastery in Western history!

The Rule of Saint Benedict

While building the monastery, Benedict was writing something revolutionary:

The Rule of Saint Benedict - a manual on how to live monastic life!

It wasn't the first monastic rule! But it was the best!

It was balanced! Wise! Practical! Spiritual!

Benedict wrote 73 short chapters covering all aspects of monastic life!

The central motto was: Ora et Labora - Pray and Work!

The Rule said that the monk's day should be divided into three equal parts:

8 hours of prayer - pray the psalms seven times a day!

8 hours of work - manual or intellectual work! No laziness!

8 hours of rest - eating, sleeping, recreation!

Perfect balance! Neither too much rigor (which kills), nor too much relaxation (which corrupts)!

As Benedict said: "Nothing harsh, nothing heavy!"

Principles of the Rule

Benedict established revolutionary principles:

1. Stability - The monk doesn't jump from monastery to monastery! He remains in one place!

2. Obedience - He obeys the abbot (superior) as he would Christ!

3. Conversion of life - He is always improving! Always progressing in holiness!

4. Moderation - No extremes! Eat enough! Sleep enough! Work enough!

5. Hospitality - Receive visitors as if they were Christ: "I received a guest, I received Christ!"

Miracles at Monte Cassino

While building and organizing, Benedict continued working miracles!

One day, a poor Goth came asking for help! He owed money and would be enslaved!

Benedict had no money! But he had compassion!

He prayed intensely! And miraculously, gold appeared!

Enough to pay the debt and free the man!

Another time, a young monk was cutting bushes near a lake!

Accidentally, the iron of the ax came loose and fell to the bottom of the lake!

The monk cried! It was a borrowed tool!

Benedict came, took the wooden handle, threw it in the water and prayed!

The iron came up from the bottom and stuck back to the handle!

Exactly like the prophet Elisha in the Old Testament!

A monk tried to commit suicide by throwing himself into a river!

Benedict, who was in the distant monastery, saw in a vision what was happening!

He shouted to another monk: "Run! Brother Placid is drowning!"

The monk Maurus ran! He entered the river! But instead of sinking...

He walked on the water as if it were dry land!

He grabbed Placid and brought him back!

Only when he reached the shore did he realize: he had walked on the river!

Totila, the Barbarian King

In 542, the barbarian king Totila was conquering Italy!

He was violent and cruel! He destroyed everything in his path!

But he heard about Benedict: "They say he's a prophet! Let's test him!"

Totila sent a servant dressed in royal clothes, pretending to be the king!

When the servant arrived at Monte Cassino, Benedict didn't even look!

He shouted from afar: "Take off those clothes! They're not yours!"

The servant was ashamed! He returned and told Totila!

Totila was impressed! He came personally to Monte Cassino!

When he saw Benedict, he became afraid! He fell prostrate on the ground!

Benedict lifted him up and rebuked him: "You do many evils! Stop your cruelties!"

Totila promised to improve! (But he didn't fully comply!)

Benedict prophesied: "You will enter Rome! You will rule for nine years! Then you will die!"

And it happened exactly that way! Word for word!

Saint Scholastica

Remember Benedict's twin sister? Scholastica?

She had also consecrated herself to God! She was a nun!

She lived in a convent near Monte Cassino!

Once a year, the siblings met to talk about God!

They met in a little house between the two monasteries!

In 543, they had their last meeting...

After dining and talking about heavenly things, Benedict said:

"It's already late! I need to return to the monastery!"

But Scholastica felt in her heart: it was the last time they would see each other!

"Brother, please stay! Let's spend the night talking about heaven!"

"Impossible! My rule doesn't allow spending the night outside the monastery!"

Scholastica joined her hands and prayed intensely!

The moment she finished the prayer...

A violent storm fell from the sky!

Thunder! Lightning! Torrential rain!

It was impossible to leave! Impossible to return!

Benedict looked at his sister and understood: "What did you do?"

Scholastica smiled: "I asked you and you didn't want to! I asked God and He wanted to!"

Benedict laughed and stayed! They spent the night talking about God!

Three days later, Benedict was praying in his cell!

Suddenly, he looked at the sky and saw Scholastica's soul!

She was ascending to heaven in the form of a white dove!

Shining! Beautiful! Going to God!

Benedict cried with joy! "My sister is in heaven!"

He sent for her body and buried it in the tomb he had prepared for himself!

Even separated in life, they would be together in death!

March 21, 547: Benedict's Death

A few months later, Benedict became ill!

He knew he was going to die! He had his tomb opened six days before!

On March 21, he asked to be taken to the chapel!

There, he received the Body of Christ for the last time!

Then, supported by his disciples, he stood with his arms open to heaven!

And praying thus, standing, Benedict died!

He was about 67 years old!

Two monks had the same vision simultaneously!

They saw a path from Benedict's room to heaven!

It was covered with precious carpets! Illuminated by torches!

And a resplendent man (an angel!) said:

"This is the path by which Benedict, beloved of God, ascended to heaven!"

Benedict had entered the glory he had so desired!

The Legacy of Saint Benedict

Saint Benedict left an extraordinary legacy:

⛪ The Rule - Guided thousands of monasteries for 1,500 years!

⛪ Monte Cassino - Became the cultural center of the West!

⛪ Benedictine Order - Thousands of monks and nuns to this day!

⛪ Ora et Labora - Principle that balances spiritual and practical life!

⛪ Western Civilization - Benedictines preserved and transmitted culture!

⛪ Balance - Showed that holiness is not extremism, but wisdom!

⛪ Example - Lived 67 years of consistent holiness!

In 1964, Pope Paul VI proclaimed Saint Benedict Patron of Europe!

Why? Because without Benedict and his monks, there would be no Christian Europe!

They preserved knowledge! They evangelized barbarians! They built civilization!

Today, the Benedictine Order continues! Monasteries worldwide follow the Rule!

The Medal of Saint Benedict is one of the most popular! It protects against evil!

And the motto "Ora et Labora" remains relevant: Pray and Work!

Destruction and Reconstruction

Monte Cassino was destroyed several times in history!

By Lombards in 577! By Saracens in 883! By earthquake in 1349!

And most terribly, by bombing in World War II in 1944!

But it was always rebuilt!

Today, the monastery stands again! Benedictine monks live and pray there!

Continuing the mission that Benedict began 1,500 years ago!