Monte Cassino Monastery (Abbazia di Montecassino)
Montecassino (also spelled Monte Cassino), a small town about 80 miles south of Rome, is the home of the sacred relics and monastery of St. Benedict (480-543), the patron saint of Europe and the founder of western monasticism.
Since its founding by St. Benedict in 529 AD, Montecassino Monastery has had a troubled history, suffering from repeated attacks, pillage, and natural disasters. Most recently, it was the site of a terrible battle during World War II that resulted in great loss of life and complete destruction of the monastic buildings.
Despite its significant and frequent setbacks, the monastery has always been rebuilt. The building that stands today was constructed after 1944 using the old plans.
A museum displays examples of medieval monastic art and other artifacts, the basilica is richly decorated in stucco and mosaics, and pilgrims still come to pray before the relics of Benedict and his sister, St. Scholastica, which surivived the bombings.
St. Benedict was born to a noble family in Nursia, a small town near Spoleto, around 480 AD. He did not set out to be a great monastic leader, wishing instead to live a quiet and contemplative life as a hermit.
As a young man, Benedict established himself in a small cave 50 miles from Rome in Subiaco. His plans for solitude were not to be, however. Disciples were soon attracted to him, and he became well known for his pious character, wise teachings and ability to work miracles.
Benedict moved to Montecassino in 528, where he remained the rest of his life. Here he wrote his Rule, a set of guidelines for laymen wishing to live a spiritual life pleasing to God. The Rule of St. Benedict would become the pattern for monastic rules across medieval Europe.
Upon his death in 543, he was buried in a tomb with his sister, St. Scholastica. The monastery was sacked by the Lombards not long after Benedict's death, but it was soon rebuilt. By the 11th century, Montecassino had become the wealthiest monastery in the world.
In World War II, the hill of Monte Cassino was part of a German defensive line guarding the approaches to Rome. Monte Cassino became the target of assault after assault by Allied troops, and was finally destroyed by air bombardment. The hill was captured at dreadful loss of life by the Polish Army and Italian refugees. After the war, the abbey was rebuilt to the original plans.
Today, Monte Cassino is a working monastery and continues to be a pilgrimage site by virtue of the suriviving relics of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica. It is also a popular tourist destination for its historical importance and its attractive buildings.
The abbey sits atop a large hill, below which lies the city of Cassino. A vast Polish war cemetery covers a hillside across the valley, which can be easily seen from the abbey.
The abbey museum displays medieval art and artifacts from the monastery and explains the history of monasticism. The monastic church, the main destination for pilgrims, features an urn under the high altar containing the relics of Benedict and Scholastica.
| Location: | Monte Cassino, Italy |
| E-mail: | archivio@officine.it |
| Hours: | Abbey: Daily 8:30-12:30 and 3:30-5 (6 in summer). Museum: Same, but open only on Sundays in winter. |
| Cost: | Free |
| Mass: | 9, 10:30, 12 |
| Photos: | Permitted without flash only. |
| Dress: | No shorts or sleveless shirts on men or women, no short skirts. |
| Note: | There is no place to eat or drink at the abbey, but this can be done at the nearby Cassino town. |
Location Map
Location map and satellite view of Montecassino. Using the slider on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. You can explore all of from space on our Italy Map or on Google Earth.
Sources
- Encyclopedia of Sacred Places
- Catholic Encyclopedia
- Abbazia di Montecassino – Official website (Italian or English; Flash or html)
- Abbey of Monte Cassino - Catholic Encyclopedia (1911)
- The Abbazia di Montecassino - Paradoxplace
