The Land of St. Benedict - Terra Sancti Benedicti

Over the centuries Europe has seen the growth of many places dedicated to St. Benedict, but  since the 6th century this province is proud to be the "Land of St. Benedict", where Benedict wrote his rule -  Regula Sancti Benedict - the basic rule, Ora et Labora, for thousands of Christians who are committed to the monastic movement. The itinerary in the footsteps of Saint Benedict, is a journey we can make to trace the path  of the Saint. Our spiritual journey can start from Subiaco, where the Saint, in the 6th century, founded 13 monasteries, of which one still survive, we could go on to Veroli and visit the church of St. Erasm founded by him, then the Saint stopped near Alatri where there is a small Chapel dedicated to St. Sebastian,  decorated with beautiful frescoes,  and finally we can reach the monastery of Montecassino,  craddle of the western European monasticism, where the Saint arrived in 529 a.D. 

Following the different stages of the Routes of Faith, the traveller is immersed in a unique atmosphere, one that offers an increasingly rare opportunity to listen to oneself, to one’s own emotions, whilst discovering at the same time the complexity and different forms of the monastic movement, which made its mark on the history, art and culture of Italy from the 6th century A.D. onwards and provided a determining contribution to the birth of European civilisation. The idea of the monastery, its construction and its spatial location, was the innovative element that defined western coenobitic monasticism, of which St. Benedict was the pioneer. As the oriental concept of hermitic monasticism was thus abandoned, the monastery became “the place of faith”, where belief became visible, in an “active piety” which, by including not just monks, but also travellers and believers, actively sought contact with man.

 

This sample itinerary is meant to demonstrate the variety of experiences possible. It can be modified to your personal wishes. So, if you would like  to add extra days, make a detour or add new activities to the itinerary, I would be glad to customize it for you.

Price & Booking: The cost of the tour depends on  the length of your stay and the number of participants: small group and individual travellers are welcome. Ask for a customized trip & quotation.