Saint of the Day – 23 March – Saint Benedict (Died c550) Monk and Hermit in Campagna, Italy. Although attempts were made to Martyr our Saint Benedict, by the grace and loving protection of God, he escaped unscathed and died a natural death. Also known as – Benedict the Hermit.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “In Campagna, St Benedict, a Monk who was shut in a burning furnace by the Goths but was found, the next day, miraculously unharmed.”
The little information we have received regarding this St Bernedict comes from Saint Gregory the Great, who gathered it from an old Monk, his relative.
He lived during the reign of Totila, King of the Ostrogoths, a turbulent period marked by wars and persecutions. His unwavering faith and dedication to monastic life made him a target for Totila’s soldiers, who attempted in vain to martyr him.
According to tradition, they condemned him to death by burning alive, first in his cell and then in a fiery oven. But miraculously, the flames did not touch him and he emerged unharmed from both tortures.
Saint Benedict’s fame spread rapidly, attracting the veneration of the faithful who considered him an example of sanctity and Christian heroism. However, due to the scarcity of historical information, his cult did not became widespread in the region.
The Church commemorates him today. His memory lives on in local tradition, especially in Campagnia.
AnaStpaul 