Saint/s of the Day – 29 March – Saint Constantine (Died c560) Abbot of Monte Cassino AND Saint Simplicius (Died c576) Abbot of Monte Cassino. These 2 Monks were disciples of St Benedict and the 2nd and 3rd successors as Abbots of his Monastery at Monte Cassino.
After the holy Founder of Monte Cassino, the father of Western Monastism, St Benedict died, his first four successors Abbots of the famous Monastery, are all Saints and are in order: Constantine (c547-c560), Simplicius (c560-c576), Vitalis (c576-c580) and Bonitus (c580-584).
We can say little about our Saints, almost no documentation have come down to us which tell of their lives.
Simplicius is, however, mentioned together with Constantine in the following centuries, both for the cult paid to both on 29 March by the Benedictines of Monte Cassino,and because, their Relics are deposited together.
In fact, these Relics were found in the area of the presbytery of the Cassinese Basilica around 1625-1628 and translated to the old Chapel of St Bertario and then, in 1710, always together with those of Constantine, they were transferred to the Chapel of St Gregory the Great.
During the disastrous bombing of 1944, they emerged unscathed and were placed again in the rebuilt Chapel under the Altar, which, like the whole Church, was later Consecrated in the solemn dedication made after the restoration.
Simplicius is remembered in the 9th Century ‘Vita Mauri’ as one of the Monks who St Benedict gave as companions to St Maurus on his journey to France. Furthermore, the historian Peter the Deacon, states that Simplicius gave the Rule of St Benedict, to all the Monks he met on this trip with St Maurus, writing some verses about it which have come down to us.
He was depicted in a painting by De Mura placed in the Chapel mentioned above, in the act of presenting the Rule to the Monks.
St Simplicius and St Constantine, Abbots, were venerated immediately after their death for having been disciples and first successors of the holy Founder and their first burial was right next to his. Today we see St Benedict and his twin sister, St Scholastica, are venerated side by side at Monte Cassino Basilica. The image below are their tombs.
AnaStpaul 
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