Abbot · Feast day July 11
St. Benedict of Nursia
The feast day of St. Benedict of Nursia is July 11, a memorial in the US Catholic calendar. Traditionally invoked as patron of Europe, monks, and students. Below: a short life and 5 sourced quotations in their own words.
| Feast day | July 11 |
|---|---|
| In the US calendar | Memorial |
| Title | Abbot |
| Died | c. 547 |
| Patron of | Europe, monks, students |
| In their own words | 5 sourced quotations |
| Next on Bless’s Today screen | None left in the published calendar (through December 31, 2028) |
Life
Born at Nursia and educated at Rome, Benedict fled the city’s corruption for a cave at Subiaco, where disciples gathered around his holiness. At Monte Cassino he wrote his Rule — moderate, humane, and shrewd — around the rhythm later summed up as ora et labora, pray and work.
The Rule became the foundation of Western monasticism; the monasteries that kept it carried learning, agriculture, and the Gospel through the Dark Ages. He is patron of Europe.
Patron of
Tradition invokes St. Benedict of Nursia as patron of Europe, monks, and students.
Saints with the same patronage
- St. Catherine of SienaEurope · April 29
- St. Bridget of SwedenEurope · July 23
- St. Teresa Benedicta of the CrossEurope · August 9
- St. Anthony of Egyptmonks · January 17
- St. Thomas Aquinasstudents · January 28
- St. Isidore of Sevillestudents · April 4
- St. Aloysius Gonzagastudents · June 21
- St. Catherine of Alexandriastudents · November 25
Patronages are traditional, not an official list. All patron saints in Bless, A to Z.
In their own words
Each quotation names the work it comes from. Bless quotes these in the comments beside the verses listed under In Scripture.
Listen, my son, to the precepts of your master, and incline the ear of your heart.
Prefer nothing whatever to Christ.
Let nothing be preferred to the Work of God.
Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ, for He is going to say, I came as a guest, and you received Me.
Keep death daily before your eyes.
In Scripture
In Bless, St. Benedict of Nursia’s words appear in the comments beside these verses. This page’s labels say how each is linked: “on this verse” means the saint wrote about that very verse; “on this theme” means the quotation shares its theme. Scripture is quoted from the Catholic Public Domain Version.
On this theme
be numbered? So make known your right hand, along with men learned in heart, in wisdom.
Psalm 89:12 · CPDV Beside their words: “Keep death daily before your eyes.”
On this theme
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts:
Psalm 94:8 · CPDV Beside their words: “Listen, my son, to the precepts of your master, and incline the ear of your heart.”
On this theme
Seven times a day, I uttered praise to you about the judgments of your justice.
Psalm 118:164 · CPDV Beside their words: “Let nothing be preferred to the Work of God.”
On this theme
My son, pay attention to my sermons, and incline your ear to my eloquent words.
Proverbs 4:20 · CPDV Beside their words: “Listen, my son, to the precepts of your master, and incline the ear of your heart.”
On this theme
And reach out your hand to the poor, so that your atonement and your blessing may be perfected.
Sirach 7:36 · CPDV Beside their words: “Keep death daily before your eyes.”
On this theme
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter above me is not worthy of me.
Matthew 10:37 · CPDV Beside their words: “Prefer nothing whatever to Christ.”
On this theme
For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in;
Matthew 25:35 · CPDV Beside their words: “Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ, for He is going to say, I came as a…”
On this theme
And yet only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the best portion, and it shall not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:42 · CPDV Beside their words: “Let nothing be preferred to the Work of God.”
2 more verses
On this theme
Yet truly, I consider everything to be a loss, because of the preeminent knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord, for whose sake I have suffered the loss of everything, considering it all to be like dung, so that I may gain Christ,
Philippians 3:8 · CPDV Beside their words: “Prefer nothing whatever to Christ.”
On this theme
And do not be willing to forget hospitality. For by it, certain persons, without realizing it, have received Angels as guests.
Hebrews 13:2 · CPDV Beside their words: “Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ, for He is going to say, I came as a…”
In the calendar
The upcoming dates, through December 31, 2028, when Bless’s Today screen shows St. Benedict of Nursia. Where the US calendar keeps another celebration that day, it is named instead and no rank is given.
Readings
No dates are left in Bless’s published calendar, which runs through December 31, 2028. St. Benedict of Nursia keeps July 11 in Bless’s calendar of saints: see the saints of July.
All the saints of July Born on July 11? A saint for every day
Spotted a mistake in a date, a patronage or a quotation? Report an error and we’ll fix it in the app and here.