Saint Scholastica

Today, February 10th, is the Feast of Saint Scholastica.

First, I wish Father Clement a happy ordination anniversary. He was ordained on the Feast of Saint Scholastica back in 2005. I was honored to be his attendant during the Ordination Mass. (Thank you, Father Andrew, for the "assignment.")

Friends and family with Father Clement (in the violet) at his first Sunday Mass after ordination.
(The Roman Sacristan is also somewhere in the picture.)

Having been a Novice at Norcia, since Saint Benedict was a spiritual father to me, I really do see Saint Scholastica as a sort of aunt. It makes sense because she is highly venerated in Norcia. (Norcia is the Italian for Nursia, the city in Italy where Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica were born.)


The monks even have a relic of Saint Scholastica which is part of the bone from her forearm. It is appropriately placed in a reliquary shaped like an arm positioned where the bone would be.

Left: Relic of Saint Scholastica
Right: Relic of Saint Benedict

The basilica of Saint Benedict is built over the old Roman house where Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica were born.


Then as you go into the basilica, on the left hand side, there are stairs leading down into the crypt.


This brings you down into the crypt.


Over to the left is the chapel with the Tabernacle.


And this is the place where Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica were born. They were twins.


In the upper church, there is a beautiful painting of Saint Scholastica with Our Lady and the Christ Child above her, and Saint Scholastica is surrounded by Saint Spes and Saint Eutizio and some other Norcian Saints.


Our greatest source for information about Saint Scholastica is Saint Gregory the Great. He writes about her in Chapter 33 in Book II of his Dialogues. He finds her to be a great example of love and the power of prayer.

Of a miracle wrought by [Saint Benedict's] sister Scholastica.

(Book II deals exclusively with the life of Saint Benedict)

Sancta Scholastica ora pro nobis.

RS