Benedict of Nursia was a devout Roman Catholic who lived from 480 to 550 CE. Although he was not an ordained priest, those who follow his Benedictine Rule today generally study for the priesthood.
Benedictines are a contemplative order of monks and nuns, usually living communally and reaching for a deeper relationship with God through prayer, meditation, and community service as part of the Roman Catholic Church.
oldest Western European Catholic monastic order. Founded circa 530 by Benedict of Nursia at Monte Cassino (Italy); there is also a women’s branch, the Benedictine Nuns.
During the Middle Ages the Benedictine Order owned large amounts of land, and it supported the papacy in its claims for domination throughout Europe. The order attained its greatest influence in the Catholic Church during the tenth and 11th centuries. With the rise of other monastic orders the influence of the Benedictines decreased. During the period of the Great French Revolution the order went into a decline, but in the 19th century its activity revived somewhat. As of 1968, the main Benedictine Order numbered approximately 12,000 monks, belonging to about 20 men’s congregations; there were also 16 women’s congregations (numbering about 20,000 members). The order is headed by an abbot primate, who lives in Rome and is elected every 12 years. The Benedictines are a bulwark of support for the present-day Vatican.