St. Scholastica: Twin Sister of St. Benedict, Feast Day and the Storm
Quick answer
St. Scholastica (around 480–543) was the sister, by tradition the twin, of St. Benedict. Consecrated to God from childhood, she is honored as the mother of Benedictine nuns. Almost all we know about her comes from St. Gregory the Great, who tells the story of her last visit with her brother. Her feast is February 10.
Key takeaways
- Our main source for her life is Book II of the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great.
- She and Benedict met once a year near his monastery at Monte Cassino.
- At their last meeting, her prayer brought a storm so she could keep talking with her brother about God.
- Gregory wrote that she was able to do more because she loved more.
One of the loveliest stories in the lives of the saints is about a brother, a sister and a sudden thunderstorm.
Brother and Sister
Scholastica was born around the year 480 at Nursia, in central Italy, and tradition holds that she was the twin of St. Benedict, the father of Western monasticism. She was consecrated to God from a young age. When Benedict established his monastery at Monte Cassino, she lived nearby with a community of women.
The two met once a year at a house not far from the monastery, where they spent the day praising God and talking about holy things.
The Storm
St. Gregory the Great describes their last meeting. As evening came, Scholastica begged her brother to stay and keep talking through the night about the joys of heaven. Benedict refused. He could not spend a night outside his monastery.
Scholastica folded her hands on the table, bowed her head and prayed. When she looked up, a tremendous storm broke out. Benedict could not put a foot outside.
“God forgive you, sister,” he said. “What have you done?”
She answered, in effect, that she had asked him and he would not listen, so she had asked God, and God had listened.
They spent the whole night in holy conversation.
“She Loved More”
St. Gregory’s comment is one of the most beautiful sentences in early Christian writing. It should not surprise us, he says, that a woman who longed to stay with her brother prevailed over him, because God is love, and she was able to do more because she loved more.
Her Death
Three days later, Benedict saw from his window the soul of his sister rising to heaven in the form of a dove. He gave thanks and had her body placed in the tomb he had prepared for himself. When he died, he was laid beside her.
A Prayer to St. Scholastica (Original Prayer)
St. Scholastica, you loved much. Teach me to pray with simple trust. Bless brothers and sisters everywhere, and bring us all to speak together of the joys of heaven. Amen.
Continue Reading
Pray the St. Benedict prayer, or read about another holy abbess, St. Clare of Assisi.
Frequently asked questions
When is the feast of St. Scholastica?
February 10.
What is St. Scholastica the patron saint of?
She is a patron of nuns and of Benedictine communities, and she is invoked against storms.
Where is St. Scholastica buried?
St. Gregory reports that Benedict placed her body in the tomb he had prepared for himself at Monte Cassino.
Sources
- St. Gregory the Great, Dialogues, Book II, chapters 33-34
- Roman Missal, Memorial of St. Scholastica, February 10
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