Saint Scholastica
Scholastica was the sister of St Benedict of Nursia and is revered as the patron saint of Benedictine nuns. She was born about the year 480 in Nursia, the modern Norcia, in Italy and her death is given as the 10th February 547. There is little evidence about her life, apart from the tradition that she established a convent at Piumarola in Italy in accordance with the principles of the monastic rule established by her brother at nearby Monte Cassino. The tradition also emerged that she and Benedict were twins, but whether this is to be taken literally or whether it alludes to their close spiritual connection is impossible to know. She is often depicted as a young Benedictine abbess, holding in her hand a book or a dove.
In terms of documentary evidence, St Scholastica’s life is shadowy, but some of the flavour of her life can perhaps be intuited from the St Gregory’s Dialogues on the Life and Miracles of St Benedict. It is known too that she was given to God by her parents early in life, so it is possible to imagine Scholastica living with other holy women as her brother Benedict was forging his own spirituality, in solitude at first and then in community.
Chapter 33 of Book two of the Dialogues, ‘Of a Miracle Wrought by his Sister Scholastica’, tells us of the final yearly meeting between the siblings. Benedict is accompanied to their meeting by some of his monks, and we are told that he and Scholastica spend the day in spiritual talk and pray to God. As they eat together in the evening, Scholastica begs her brother to stay all night so that their conversation on the divine might continue. Benedict demurs, following the Rule against staying away from the monastery at night. As the weather is clear and settled, the monastic party set out to return home, but Scholastica prays fervently for a storm, and through the great power of her prayer brings down from heaven torrential rain, thunder and lightning, such that Benedict and his brothers cannot even put their heads out of the door. Benedict complains to his sister, but she replies that her love of her brother and her wish to keep his company longer have prevailed, and God has answered her prayer. The siblings then spend the night in more spiritual conversation and comfort of one another. It could be thought that her love and charity, on this occasion, triumph over Benedict’s strict adherence to the Rule.
In Chapter 34 of the Dialogues, Gregory describes how Benedict saw the soul of his sister ascend into Heaven. He recounts that the next day, both Benedict and Scholastica depart for their respective houses, but three days afterwards, standing in his cell, Benedict has a vision of his sister’s soul, departed from her body, ascending to heaven in the form of a dove. He rejoices and sings praises to God for her glory and sends some of his monks to bring her body to his Abbey to be buried in the grave that he had had prepared for himself. Gregory concludes this chapter by remarking that, as their souls had always been united in God in life, so their bodies remained together after their death.
It is interesting that the inclusion of St Scholastica’s feast day of February 10th in all Anglo- Saxon calendars attests to the existence of a cult of the Saint, and the seventh century poet Aldhelm wrote about her in prose and verse sections of his De Virginitate, extolling her purity. Aldhelm’s poem was dedicated to the Abbess Hildelith and her nuns, one of whom was named after Scholastica. In addition, in the late tenth century, Aelfric of Eynsham included her in his homily on St Benedict.
Bibliography
The Life of St Scholastica: Introduction by Gordon Whately (Editor) Anne B. Thompson (Editor) Robert K. Upchurch (Editor) from Saints’ Lives in Middle English Collections 2004
As we celebrate anew the Memorial of the Virgin Saint Scholastica, we pray, O Lord, that following her example, we may serve you with pure love, and happily receive what comes from loving you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
Bev Hallam (Oblate)
