Subiaco Abbey
Encyclopedia
St. Scholastica's Abbey, also known as Subiaco Abbey (Italian
: Abbazia di Santa Scolastica), in Subiaco
, Latium
, Italy
, is a Benedictine
territorial abbey
founded in the 6th century AD by Saint Benedict of Nursia
. It was in one of the Subiaco caves that Benedict made his first hermitage
. The monastery today gives its name to the Subiaco Congregation
, a grouping of monasteries worldwide that makes up part of the Order of Saint Benedict
.
, where the same process would repeat itself...
In the 9th century St. Scholastica's Abbey was destroyed two times by the Saracens, in 828-829 and 876-877. But it was restored, and grew in the 10th century thanks to the patronage and favour of several popes, many of whom were, in fact, Benedictine monks.
As was true for monastic establishments throughout Europe, the 11th and 12th centuries were a golden age for the abbey, when it boasted vast lands, a large number of monks, and elaborate, ornate liturgy
. With economic power came political power as well. In the 13th century a sanctuary was erected over the cave where St. Benedict had dwelt, the Sacro Speco or "Holy Cave".
Riches also brought covetousness, and the abbey's prestige brought it enemies. Long power struggles with the feudal establishment weakened the abbey, and decedence set in when Calixtus III made Juan de Torquemada
(uncle of the famous inquisitor) commendatory abbot
. Subsequently, powerful families tied to the papacy controlled it. Rodrigo Borgia (later the infamous Alexander VI held the commendatory abbacy in 1467. The Colonna (1492), Borghese
(1608) and Barberini
(1633) families would also gain control of its revenues. Some took their ownership of the abbey seriously and restore it, but most were content to exploit its revenues, sometimes without even ever visiting the monastery. The spiritual well-being of the monks was rarely a concern.
The tide began to turn again in 1753 when Benedict XIV made the decision to remove commendatory abbots' power over the day-to-day running of their monasteries, leaving them only the spiritual and ecclesiastical dignity. Yet at the end of the century, when the French occupy the Papal States
, the abbey was suppressed. Pius VII restored it as soon as his independence was restored. In 1915, Benedict XV accorded it the privilege of a territorial abbey.
, a grouping of 64 male Benedictine monasteries on five continents, to which 54 female monasteries also belong, within the larger Benedictine Confederation
.
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
: Abbazia di Santa Scolastica), in Subiaco
Subiaco, Italy
Subiaco is a town and comune in the Province of Rome, in Lazio, Italy, from Tivoli alongside the river Aniene. It is mainly renowned as a tourist and religious resort for its sacred grotto , in the St. Benedict's Abbey, and the other Abbey of St. Scholastica...
, Latium
Latium
Lazio is one of the 20 administrative regions of Italy, situated in the central peninsular section of the country. With about 5.7 million residents and a GDP of more than 170 billion euros, Lazio is the third most populated and the second richest region of Italy...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, is a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
territorial abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
founded in the 6th century AD by Saint Benedict of Nursia
Benedict of Nursia
Saint Benedict of Nursia is a Christian saint, honored by the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of Europe and students.Benedict founded twelve communities for monks at Subiaco, about to the east of Rome, before moving to Monte Cassino in the mountains of southern Italy. There is no...
. It was in one of the Subiaco caves that Benedict made his first hermitage
Hermitage (religious retreat)
Although today's meaning is usually a place where a hermit lives in seclusion from the world, hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group of people lived religiously, in seclusion.-Western Christian Tradition:...
. The monastery today gives its name to the Subiaco Congregation
Subiaco Congregation
The Subiaco Congregation is an international union of Benedictine houses within the Benedictine Confederation. It was formed in 1867 through the initiative of Dom Pietro Franceso Casaretto, O.S.B., and received final approval by the Holy See in 1872.- History :Casaretto from the age of seventeen...
, a grouping of monasteries worldwide that makes up part of the Order of Saint Benedict
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
.
History
In the early 6th century Benedict of Nursia, a man from a well-to-do family who was educated at Rome, retired to an ancient Roman villa in a grotto in Subiaco, in the mountains of north Latium. His reputation as a spiritual guide quickly drew disciples to him there, including many of his old Roman friends, who also settled in the area. Over the years there grew to be no less than 13 monastic communities around Subiaco, including the one that would come to be named for St. Scholastica, Benedict's sister and herself a monastic. Eventually, seeking greater solitude, Benedict would retire to Monte CassinoMonte Cassino
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, Italy, c. to the west of the town of Cassino and altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944...
, where the same process would repeat itself...
In the 9th century St. Scholastica's Abbey was destroyed two times by the Saracens, in 828-829 and 876-877. But it was restored, and grew in the 10th century thanks to the patronage and favour of several popes, many of whom were, in fact, Benedictine monks.
As was true for monastic establishments throughout Europe, the 11th and 12th centuries were a golden age for the abbey, when it boasted vast lands, a large number of monks, and elaborate, ornate liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
. With economic power came political power as well. In the 13th century a sanctuary was erected over the cave where St. Benedict had dwelt, the Sacro Speco or "Holy Cave".
Riches also brought covetousness, and the abbey's prestige brought it enemies. Long power struggles with the feudal establishment weakened the abbey, and decedence set in when Calixtus III made Juan de Torquemada
Juan de Torquemada (Cardinal)
Juan de Torquemada , or rather Johannes de Turrecremata, Spanish ecclesiastic, was born at Valladolid, and was educated in that city....
(uncle of the famous inquisitor) commendatory abbot
Commendatory abbot
A commendatory abbot is an ecclesiastic, or sometimes a layman, who holds an abbey in commendam, drawing its revenues but not exercising any authority over its inner monastic discipline...
. Subsequently, powerful families tied to the papacy controlled it. Rodrigo Borgia (later the infamous Alexander VI held the commendatory abbacy in 1467. The Colonna (1492), Borghese
Borghese
Borghese is the surname of a family of Italian noble and papal background, originating as the Borghese or Borghesi in Siena, where they came to prominence in the 13th century holding offices under the commune. The head of the family, Marcantonio, moved to Rome in the 16th century and there,...
(1608) and Barberini
Barberini
The Barberini are a family of the Italian nobility that rose to prominence in 17th century Rome. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII...
(1633) families would also gain control of its revenues. Some took their ownership of the abbey seriously and restore it, but most were content to exploit its revenues, sometimes without even ever visiting the monastery. The spiritual well-being of the monks was rarely a concern.
The tide began to turn again in 1753 when Benedict XIV made the decision to remove commendatory abbots' power over the day-to-day running of their monasteries, leaving them only the spiritual and ecclesiastical dignity. Yet at the end of the century, when the French occupy the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
, the abbey was suppressed. Pius VII restored it as soon as his independence was restored. In 1915, Benedict XV accorded it the privilege of a territorial abbey.
Today
The monastic community today is made up of a little over twenty monks, including eleven priest-monks, living in two areas: St. Scholastica's Abbey proper (for the majority of the monks), and the Sacro Speco (Holy Cave), the sanctuary to St. Benedict's hermitage, which can also be visited by pilgrims.St. Scholastica's Abbey
- The buildings are arranged around three cloisters. The oldest (12-13th centuries) is in the cosmatesqueCosmatesqueCosmatesque, or Cosmati, is a style of geometric decorative inlay stonework typical of Medieval Italy, and especially of Rome and its surroundings. It was used most extensively for the decoration of church floors, but was also used to decorate church walls, pulpits, and bishop's thrones...
style, and the most harmonious. The second is in the GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style, dating to the 14th-15th centuries. The third is from the late 16th century, in renaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
style.
- The abbey church is gothic with a roman-style campanileCampanileCampanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
, entirely rebuilt in 1771-1776 with a neo-classicalNeoclassical architectureNeoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
style that stands apart from the rest of the abbey's architecture.
St. Benedict's Cave (Sacro Speco)
Located a few kilometers from the abbey proper, the sanctuary is spectacularly attached to the side of the mountain, supported by nine high arcades.- The interior is a maze of small cells, and chapels—including one over St. Benedict's own hermitage, others carved into the living rock. All is covered by frescos of various periods, the oldest Byzantine artByzantine artByzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 5th century until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453....
dating back to the 8th century. - One of the most interesting points is the representation of Saint Francis of AssisiFrancis of AssisiSaint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
, being the oldest known portrait in existence of the saint, having actually been drawn before his death. This dates back to St. Francis' retreat to Subiaco (1223–1224): he is depicted without the stigmataStigmataStigmata are bodily marks, sores, or sensations of pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus, such as the hands and feet...
and without a haloHalo (religious iconography)A halo is a ring of light that surrounds a person in art. They have been used in the iconography of many religions to indicate holy or sacred figures, and have at various periods also been used in images of rulers or heroes...
.
The Subiaco Congregation
St. Scholastica's Abbey today holds pride of place in the Subiaco CongregationSubiaco Congregation
The Subiaco Congregation is an international union of Benedictine houses within the Benedictine Confederation. It was formed in 1867 through the initiative of Dom Pietro Franceso Casaretto, O.S.B., and received final approval by the Holy See in 1872.- History :Casaretto from the age of seventeen...
, a grouping of 64 male Benedictine monasteries on five continents, to which 54 female monasteries also belong, within the larger Benedictine Confederation
Benedictine Confederation
The Benedictine Confederation of the Order of Saint Benedict is the international governing body of the Order of Saint Benedict.-Origin:...
.