Life of Our Most Holy Father St. Benedict

Written by 6th century Pope St. Gregory I, this text is one of the only ancient accounts of St. Benedict's life and work. St. Gregory tells us that at an early age, St. Benedict abandoned all worldly cares to seek a life of close union with God. In his adulthood, St. Benedict built twelve monasteries and was believed to have performed numerous miracles. St. Benedict is largely known for his book The Rule of St. Benedict, a collection of spiritual and administrative instructions for monks--as a result of this achievement, St. Benedict is often recognized as the founder of Western monasticism. The second half of St. Gregory's text is the reproduction of St. Benedict's seventy-three chapter Rule. Although St. Gregory never engaged with St. Benedict himself, he was able to craft this illuminating portrait of St. Benedict's life by consulting several of St. Benedict's close disciples and successors. -Emmalon Davis, CCEL Staff Writer