St. Benedict

St. Benedict, founder of the Benedictine Order, is considered the father of western monasticism for his Rule became the standard for monastic living throughout the western world. He is shown here with the cave near Subiaco where he spent three years as a hermit. During this time he rolled in thorn bushes, pictured here, to conquer temptation. He is holding bread and a gourd of water for the poor. He is said to have prayed and found water when his monks had difficulty finding it, so a spring is shown at right. He is often pictured with a raven who St. Gregory claimed carried off a poisoned leaf intended for St. Benedict by a jealous rival priest, Florentius.