The Benedictines are members of the oldest Catholic monastic order, composed of independent communities. The organization does not have the position of general rector. Each Benedictine monastery, abbey or priory has autonomy. The Order speaks on behalf of all communities and represents their interests before the Holy See. Sometimes members of this religious organization are called black monks because of the color of their traditional robes.
Occurrence
The Order was founded by Benedict of Nursia at the beginning of the sixth century. He came from an aristocratic Roman family and at a young age decided to devote his life to God. Benedict chose the difficult path of a hermit and settled in a cave. After a few years, he gained fame thanks to his asceticism. Benedict was visited by pilgrims, and the monks from the nearby monastery asked him to become their rector. The saint agreed, but the charter proposed by him was too strict.
Having left the brethren, unable to follow its ascetic rules, the ascetic founded the first Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino in southern Italy. There is no evidence that the saint intended to create a centralized order. The charter, written by the founder, presupposes the autonomy of each Benedictine monastery.
Development
The fate of the monastery in southern Italy was sad. A few decades after the death of the saint, the region was captured by the Lombard tribe. The first Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino was destroyed. However, these tragic events became a factor contributing to the spread of the charter and traditions bequeathed by the founder of the order. The monks fled to Rome and, receiving a papal blessing, dispersed throughout Europe, preaching the ideas of St. Benedict. They evangelized the pagan countries and everywhere left the strict traditions of the ascetic life of their order, as well as copies of the famous charter. By the ninth century, the standard rules of the Benedictine monastery became generally accepted in Western European monasteries.
In the era of the early Middle Ages, the work of copying ancient manuscripts was of great importance. It was a time of prosperity for scriptoria, which were located mainly in monasteries. All literate members of religious orders worked all day in these workshops, rewriting sacred texts. Distribution of spiritual literature was one of the main tasks of medieval monks. Scriptoria lost their significance only after the invention of typography.
Libraries
One of the articles of the charter of the Benedictine monastery emphasizes the importance of frequent and continuous reading of the Holy Scriptures. This instruction has been strictly observed. The monks read spiritual books while eating, resting, and even while in the infirmary. Members of a religious order were not allowed to have any personal property. In accordance with this rule, all books were in storage intended for public use. Such premises were divided into three types. In the sacristy they kept sacred texts necessary for church services. Spiritual books for public reading during the sermons were kept in the directories. The most extensive and diverse collections of literature were housed in libraries.
Spread in Europe
The oldest of the 19 congregations is in Britain. Augustine of Canterbury, sent as a missionary by the pope, founded the first Benedictine monastery at the end of the sixth century. The plan of conversion of the British to Christianity was successful. Following the first monastery, other branches of the order quickly arose. Monasteries served as hospitals and shelters for the homeless. The Benedictines studied the healing properties of plants and minerals in order to alleviate the suffering of patients. In 670, the daughter of the first Christian king, Kent, founded the abbey on the island of Thanet. Three centuries later, Priory St. Mildred was built there, which is currently the abode of nuns. Anglo-Saxon Benedictines converted the Germans and Franks to Christianity. In the seventh and eighth centuries, the saints Willibrord and Boniface belonging to the order preached to these tribes and founded a large number of abbeys on their territory.
Mention of the first Benedictine monastery in Spain dates back to the ninth century. Montserrat Abbey, located near the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona, remains valid today. Catholics from different countries make a pilgrimage to this spiritual center to touch the shrine located in it - the statue of Our Lady with a baby on her knees, which is called the "Black Virgin" because of the dark color. However, this is not the only thing the Benedictine monastery has become famous all over the world, recognized as a national treasure of Catalonia. The monastery contains unique medieval manuscripts, access to which is open only to famous male scientists.
The Protestant movement and the Reformation weakened the influence of Catholicism in many European countries. The British monarchs declared the complete independence of the Christian community of Misty Albion from the Pope. However, many members of the Church of England who took monastic vows continued to follow the famous charter of St. Benedict.
In the United States of America
The largest community in the Western Hemisphere is the Benedictine Monastery of St. John in Minnesota. A plan for the development of missionary activity on the American continent appeared at the religious order at the end of the 18th century. But the first major monastery was founded only in 1856 by the German priest Boniface Wimmer. The fiery missionary focused his efforts on providing spiritual support to the many Catholic immigrants. They came to the USA from Germany, Ireland and other European countries. Most Catholic immigrants chose to live in the countryside and work on farms. This trend has successfully coincided with the long-standing tradition of Benedictines to create their communities and spiritual centers in rural areas. For 40 years, Wimmer managed to found 10 abbeys and a large number of Catholic schools.
Organization
The fundamental difference between the Benedictines and other Western European religious orders lies in decentralization. Autonomous abbeys and priors are united in a congregation, which, in turn, form the Confederation. This organization provides dialogue between the Benedictine communities, and also represents the order before the Holy See and the entire Christian world. The Confederate Abbot Primas is elected every eight years. He has very limited authority. Abbot Primas does not have the right to appoint or remove community rectors.
Vows
The charter of St. Benedict determines what oaths should be given to candidates who wish to join the order. Future monks promise to invariably remain in the same community and unquestioningly obey the rector, who is considered the vicar of Christ. The third vow is called "conversion morum." The meaning of this Latin expression is rather vague and often becomes the subject of debate. This phrase can be translated as "changing habits and lifestyle."
Discipline
The abbot has almost absolute power in his community. He distributes duties among the monks, indicates which books they are allowed to read, and punishes the guilty. Without the permission of the abbot, no one leaves the territory of the monastery. The tight daily routine (horarium) is designed to ensure that not an hour is wasted. Time is devoted only to prayer, work, reading spiritual literature, eating and sleeping. Members of this religious order do not take a vow of silence, however, hours of strict observance of silence are set in the cloisters. The rules governing the lifestyle of a person who is fully committed to serving God have not changed since the first Benedictine monastery of Montecassino.
Popes
The order belonged to many famous people who left a mark in history. During the two thousand years of Western Christianity, eleven Benedictines were elected popes. An interesting fact is that the first and last pontiffs, who were members of the order, bore the same name. Gregory I occupied the throne of St. Peter at the end of the sixth century. He was an interpreter of biblical texts and wrote a large number of essays explaining the meaning of various parts of the Old and New Testaments. For the pontiff's enormous contribution to the formation of the Western Christian church, the descendants added the nickname "great" to his name. Gregory XVI ascended to the papal throne in the first half of the 19th century. The last pontiff, belonging to the Order of St. Benedict, was extremely reactionary. Gregory XVI was an opponent of liberal ideas and scientific and technological progress. He even banned the use of railways in the Papal Region.
