Monte Cassino, Religious & Historical Examplar
Italy's Monastery Persevered Destruction & Preserved Artifacts
Set on a brooding beehive mount 520 metres over the town of Cassino, St. Benedict established his monastery and way of religious life, known as the Benedictine Rule. For almost 1,500 years Monte Cassino and Catholic practices have endured through periods of destruction and construction.
Persevered Destruction
Monte Cassino actually began with destruction which was symptomatic of the Dark Ages. Marauding Goths destroyed a Roman temple there circa 485, before Benedict arrived in 529 and baptized the site by razing the remaining statue to Apollo. In fact, the monastery was often renewed from ruins like a phoenix.
- In 584, 41 years after Benedict's death, Lombards sacked the abbey and the monks fled the site until 718
- In 883 Saracens sacked and burnt the abbey and it wasn't rebuilt until the 11th century by Desiderius
- In 1349 an earthquake damaged the basilica, Desiderius' jewel
- In 1799 Napoleon's troops sacked it
- In February 1944, 65 years ago, Allied & American bombers blasted the monastery to rubble
It was only rebuilt and reconsecrated in 1965. The experience reminds one of the promise of the Resurrection and the patience of Job.
Preserved Artifacts
During Desiderius' time as abbot, 1056-1087, a new basilica and many artistic endeavours were added. They included:
- huge bronze doors that still remain
- 11th century mosaics including the blue and gold stars on the ceiling of the crypt that survived the 1944 bombing
- the relics of St. Benedict and his twin sister St. Scholastica
- over 70 illustrated manuscripts copied by the monks at the monastery, among them Catholic, such as St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and St. Bede; Roman antiquities like Cicero, Ovid, and Vergil; and historical, such as works by Josephus and Gregory of Tours
The German commanders of the Abbey during World War II moved over 1,400 manuscript codices or illuminated books to the Vatican in 1942 for safe keeping and thus preserved them from the bombing in 1944.
Catholic Values
St. Benedict wrote his Benedictine Rule as a guideline for monks to live, work, pray and govern themselves as a community. They and even lay Catholics could use the book, which was dedicated to focusing on the life of Jesus and incorporating the values of the Bible, such as prayer, fasting, work and being their bothers' keeper. The book is comprised of a prologue and 73 chapters covering areas like:
- role of obedience
- hours for prayer, meditation and manual labour
- treatment of the sick and of guests
The monastic way of life was an integral part of Catholic life from the 6th century on and the Benedictine Rule proved to be a most flexible and long lasting approach to a separate life dedicated to God.
Monte Cassino is still a beacon atop the mountain overlooking the Liri Valley that leads to Rome. Its places of worship and meditation, its holy surroundings, the wafting of Gregorian chant all remind visitors of the endurance of a religious way of life.
Monte Cassino above the town
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St. Benedict's death site
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bronze doors from Desiderius' time
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gold star in blue night mosaic
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