Subiaco Abbey

The Monastery of San Benedetto, also called Sacro Speco ( Holy crevice ), belongs to the Territorial Abbey Subiaco (Latin: Territorialis Abbatia Sublacensis or Protocoenobium Sublacensis ) of the Benedictine order. The main monastery of the Territorial Abbey is the monastery of St. Scholastica, located about 1 km downstream of San Benedetto. It is located on Monte Taleo above Subiaco, 75 km east of Rome in the Aniene Valley in the Simbruini.

History

At its core, it goes to the " Sacro Speco " back, the cave has spent according to tradition, Benedict of Nursia around the year 500 three years as a hermit before he founded 13 monasteries in the Aniene Valley; of these is still the Abbey St. Scholastica in Subiaco (position ) 41.9183713.110649 receive. The Monastery of San Benedetto is run by the Benedictine monks of the Abbey of St. Scholastica.

The monastery of San Benedetto was built from the 12th century and still is - supported by nine high arches - built close to the rock wall. Art historically noteworthy are the richly decorated with frescoes upper and lower church, the holy grotto ( Sacro Speco ) with a Benedict statue by Antonio Raggi, ( pupil of Bernini ), as well as a Byzantine fresco fragment from the 8th century in the " Grotto of the Shepherds".

Founding tradition

Gregory the Great says in the second book of "Dialogues and miracles of the Italian Fathers" on the residence of Benedict in Subiaco: The young Benedict retired for three years as a hermit in a cave at Subiaco back, hermit garb and nourishment he received by a monk of a close monastery named Romanus. We became aware of him and asked him to take over the office of an abbot in Vicovaro; there refused he returned again to Subiaco, where he founded and Aniene Valley, in the following 20 years - before his departure to Montecassino 529 - a total of 13 monasteries.

Frescoes

The frescoes in the upper church originate in the back of the of the school of Siena (14th century) and depict scenes from the life of Jesus from the Entrance into Jerusalem to the appearance of the Risen ( and sending of the Spirit ). The frescoes of the front lower part of the upper church with episodes from the life of St. Benedict the Umbrian- markischen school of the 15th century are attributed. The frescoes of the lower church ( again scenes from the life of Benedict ) are labeled " Master Conxolus " signed ( Roman school of the 13th century). Noteworthy is the fresco of St. Francis of Assisi in the chapel of St.. Gregor; it is considered the oldest - in his lifetime - resulting image, because it is still shown on without stigmata and halo.

The Benedict cave in the monastery

The oldest portrait of Francis of Assisi