The "Oldest" Benedictines

If, of the members of the Benedictine Confederation, the Camaldolese Congregation was founded in 980, and the Vallombrosians in 1036, how can the English Congregation, founded in 1216, claim to be the oldest member of the Confederation?

Pope Honorius III took a special interest in the monastic orders. He approved the Dominicans in 1216, the Franciscans in 1223, and the Carmelites in 1226. It was his idea that the various abbeys and priories with Benedictine monastic communities in England be united. The first General Chapter of this united congregation was held in Oxford in 1218. The origins of Benedictines in England go back much further than the 13th century, however, thanks principally to three individuals.

Augustine of Canterbury's arrival in England at the tail end of the 6th century CE was the start of the first great wave of Christianizing on that island. He was created the first Archbishop of Canterbury and had an enormous impact on bringing Christianity to several kingdoms, along with founding monasteries.

Immediately following Augustine was Wilfrid (c.633 - 709/710), a Northumbrian noble who entered the religious life as a teenager and became the first abbot of a monastery in Ripon dedicated to St. Peter. He later became bishop of York (York did not become an archbishopric until 735 with Paulinus). Wilfrid was the spokesman for Roman Christianity (as opposed to Celtic Christianity) at the Synod of Whitby in 664. His arguments on how the date of Easter should be calculated each year won over the Celtic St. Cuthbert.

The third highly influential figure in the early origins of English Christianity and monasticism was Benedict Biscop (c. 628 – 690). He founded the monastery at Jarrow, where among other influences he was the teacher of Bede. Benedict's given name was "Biscop Baducing"; he was not just a noble, he even served under King Oswiu of Bernicia before traveling to Rome and returning to England with enthusiasm for supporting the Church. On a second trip to Rome, Benedict met Wilfrid. Returning from this second trip, he stopped at an island off the coast of Provence, where a monastery was using the Rule of St. Benedict. He spent two years there, taking vows, learning the Rule, and adopting the name "Benedict." After a third trip to Rome, Pope Vitalian asked him to go back to England with Theodore of Tarsus. After doing so, Theodore appointed Benedict abbot at Canterbury.

The English Congregation now has about 20 houses (Ealing in London is shown above), with a few hundred monks and nuns spread across them.

We have a lot of info about Wilfrid based on those who knew him, especially Bede and a monk who wrote a biography of Wilfrid shortly after his death. I'd like to share some of his life story over the next two days.

The Sylvestrines

The Benedictine Confederation is an alliance of monastic orders who follow the Rules of the Benedictines. Some of these orders were founded a thousand years ago. One group that started in the 13th century is the Sylvestrines.

They were started by Sylvester Gozzolini (1177 - 1267), who chose the religious life fairly early. His father's wish was that he study law, but that goal did not appeal, and he decided to study theology (causing his father to refuse to speak to him for ten years). He joined the Augustinians at Osimo Cathedral in Osimo, a town on the Adriatic, but in 1227 left that group to live a life as a hermit.

This 50-year-old man living an austere life—sleeping on the ground, living on herbs and water, praying all day—drew disciples to him. In 1231, a vision of Benedict of Nursia inspired him to form a community with his followers. Finding an old pagan temple at Monte Fano, Fabriano, Italy, he demolished it and built a monastery.

He followed the Rule of St. Benedict, but was far more strict on the subject of poverty. Pope Innocent IV approved the order, calling it the Ordo S. Benedicti de Montefano, "Order of St. Benedict of Mount Fano." Another difference from other Benedictine groups is the wearing of a dark blue habit instead of black. By the time of Sylvester's death, there were almost a dozen monasteries founded along his system.

Although surviving mostly in Italy, they did send missionaries outside of Europe. They currently have missions in Ceylon, the United States, Australia, India, the Philippines, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The statue of Sylvester shown here is on the grounds of St. Sylvester's College in Sri Lanka, a boys school founded in 1940 with 6000 students.

He was canonized in 1598 by Pope Clement VIII, and his feast day is 26 November.

The next and last member of the Benedictine Confederation we will look at is the English Benedictine Congregation, which although founded in 1216, can be called the oldest member of the Confederation, even though the Vallombrosians were founded in 1036 and the Camaldolese in 980! I'll explain tomorrow.

The Vallombrosians

Giovanni Gualberto (c. 985 – 12 July 1073) was not the sort of person you would expect to found a monastic order. A nobleman born in a castle, he hunted down the man who killed his brother in order to get revenge. Finding the man in Florence, he was about to exact his revenge when the man threw himself on the ground with arms outstretched in the form of a cross and begged for mercy in the name of Christ.

Giovanni had a change of heart and forgave the man. On his way home, he stopped at the church at San Miniato to pray. Legend says that the figure of Christ on the crucifix bowed its head to him, supposedly in recognition of his act of mercy. This is the subject of the 19th century artist Burne-Jones' painting of "The Merciful Knight" (shown here).

Giovanni decided to cut his hair and start wearing a borrowed monk's habit. He joined the monastery at San Miniato, but felt he needed a more ascetic life. He spent some time with the monks at Camaldoli, but eventually founded his own monastery at Vallombrosa in 1036.

The Vallombrosian Congregation is now part of the Benedictine Confederation and has nine houses and a few dozen monks, but for it to have nine locations suggests great popularity in the past (see below). Giovanni adopted the Rule of St. Benedict, but stressed more austerity than the Rule. Poverty is strictly enforced, silence is mandatory and constant, cloistering is essential: the monks did not leave the premises even to help others. While the Rule of St. Benedict requires work, Giovanni's system required lay brothers to do any essential work, while the monks themselves spent their entire day in silence and contemplation. They wore habits originally of gray or ash-colored, but now wear the traditional Benedictine garb.

After Giovanni's death, the order spread, especially after a bull by Pope Urban II in 1090 gave the Vallombrosians papal support and protection. A bull by Pope Paschal II in 1115 mentions 12 Vallombrosian houses, and one by Pope Anastasius IV mentions 24. In Pope Innocent III's time there were more than 60 houses.

Giovanni was canonized in 1193 by Pope Celestine III.

The Benedictine Confederation has members all over the world, many founded in the 19th century. There were two other groups founded in the 13th century, the Silvestrines and the English. We will talk about the Silvestrine Congregation next.