St. Scholastica icon

St. Scholastica icon
© Cecilia Lawrence
September 23rd 2016
4.5 x 6 inches
Ink, watercolor, gold leaf

“When the saintly nun begged the Lord
that her brother might not leave her,
she received more than her brother did from the Lord of her heart
because she loved Him so much.
How good, how delightful it is
for brothers and sisters to live in unity.”
~ the Responsory for the Feast of St. Scholastica

I have depicted St. Scholastica in the garb of a Benedictine nun holding a crosier symbolizing her status as abbess. The crosier itself is decorated with the Chi-Rho Christogram (an abbreviation of the name of Christ) with the symbols of the Alpha and Omega as a reference to Revelations 22:13: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” In her left hand she holds a book of the Rule of St. Benedict (“Regula” in Latin) which has the Benedictine motto “Ora et Labora” (“Prayer and Work”) written on it. The Dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit and is also a reference to the story about her death when her brother St. Benedict saw her soul fly up to Heaven in the form of a dove in a vision.



:+: A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE SAINT :+:

Saint Scholastica (c. 480 – February 10th 547 A.D.), was the twin sister of St. Benedict of Nursia. Their parents were wealthy Roman nobles from the city of Nursia named Anicius Eupropius and Claudia Abondantia Reguardati. The two children were very close and were brought up and educated together until Benedict left for further studies in Rome. When Benedict left Rome to become a hermit around the age of 20, Scholastica seems to have had similar aspirations. Dedicated to God from an early age, she pursued a life of perfection and sanctity with a small group of other religiously-minded women who were closely associated with Benedict’s monks at Subiaco and Monte Cassino. She established a Benedictine convent of nuns at Plumbariola about five miles away from her brother’s monastery at Monte Cassino.

The twins had a tradition of visiting each other once a year. Scholastica, accompanied by some of her nuns would meet Benedict and his monks at a little hermitage near Monte Cassino. Once, while they were visiting each other, enjoying each other’s company and lost track of the time in their discussions about heaven and other spiritual matters, Benedict noticed that it was getting dark and announced that he had to return to his monastery. Scholastica begged him to remain with her, knowing that this might be the last time they’d ever get a chance to speak together. But Benedict, not wanting to disobey his own Rule or give a bad example to his monks, against refused and turned to leave. Scholastica then folded her hands together in prayer and bowed her head. The sky, which before had been clear, suddenly resounded with crashing thunder and the roof was pounded by such a torrential rainfall that everyone was frightened. Benedict and his monks could scarcely set their feet outdoors. Turning to his sister in horror, he said, “God forgive you sister, what have you done?” She replied calmly, “I asked you and you would not listen; so I asked my God and He did listen. So now go off, if you can, leave me and return to your monastery.”

So Benedict stayed with his twin sister and they spent the whole night together speaking of God and Heaven until morning broke. The monks then went back to their monastery, and the nuns went back to their convent. Three days later, Benedict was in his cell at Monte Cassino and saw his Scholastica’s soul in the form of a dove fly up to Heaven. Benedict died only a month after his sister, on March 21st 547.

“Scholastica, the sister of Saint Benedict, had been consecrated to God from her earliest years. She was accustomed to visiting her brother once a year. He would come down to meet her at a place on the monastery property, not far outside the gate.

One day she came as usual and her saintly brother went with some of his disciples; they spent the whole day praising God and talking of sacred things. As night fell they had supper together.

Their spiritual conversation went on and the hour grew late. The holy nun said to her brother: “Please do not leave me tonight; let us go on until morning talking about the delights of the spiritual life.” “Sister,” he replied, “what are you saying? I simply cannot stay outside my cell.”

When she heard her brother refuse her request, the holy woman joined her hands on the table, laid her head on them and began to pray. As she raised her head from the table, there were such brilliant flashes of lightning, such great peals of thunder and such a heavy downpour of rain that neither Benedict nor his brethren could stir across the threshold of the place where they had been seated. Sadly he began to complain: “May God forgive you, sister. What have you done?” “Well,” she answered, “I asked you and you would not listen; so I asked my God and he did listen. So now go off, if you can, leave me and return to your monastery.”

Reluctant as he was to stay of his own will, he remained against his will. So it came about that they stayed awake the whole night, engrossed in their conversation about the spiritual life.

It is not surprising that she was more effective than he, since as John says, God is Love, it was absolutely right that she could do more, as she loved more.

Three days later, Benedict was in his cell. Looking up to the sky, he saw his sister’s soul leave her body in the form of a dove, and fly up to the secret places of heaven. Rejoicing in her great glory, he thanked almighty God with hymns and words of praise. He then sent his brethren to bring her body to the monastery and lay it in the tomb he had prepared for himself.

Their minds had always been united in God; their bodies were to share a common grave.”

~ from the Dialogues by St. Gregory the Great

The Feast of St. Scholastica is celebrated on February 10th.

St. Scholastica is a patron saint of the Benedictine Order, of nuns, convulsive children, and the French city of Le Mans.

Lord,
as we recall the memory of Saint Scholastica,
we ask that by her example
we may serve you with love and obtain perfect joy.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, forever and ever. Amen.