St. Scholastica was the sister of St. Benedict. Embracing the rule of her brother, she founded the Order of Benedictine nuns. She died in 543.

SAINT SCHOLASTICA

Virgin

Traditional & New Calendars February 10

The worshipful Scholastica, the sister of our Father Benedict, was hallowed unto the Lord Almighty from a child.  Her custom was to come to see her brother once every year.  And when she came, the man of God went down unto her, not far from the gate, but, as it were, within the borders of the monastery.  And there was a day when she came, as her custom was, and her worshipful brother went down to her, and his disciples with him.  Then they passed the whole day together, praising God, and speaking one to the other of spiritual things.  And when the night came, they brake bread together.  And while they were yet at table, and conversed together on spiritual things, the hour was late.  Then the holy woman his sister besought him, saying : Leave me not, I pray thee, this night, but let us speak even until morning of the gladness of the eternal life.  He answered her : What is it that thou sayest, my sister?  I can by no means remain out of my cell.  Now the firmament was so clear that there were no clouds in the sky.  Then the holy nun, when she had heard the words of her brother, that he would not abide with her, clasped her hands on the table, and laid her face on her hands, and besought the Lord Almighty.  And it came to pass that when she lifted up her head from the table, there were great thunderings and lightnings, and a flood of rain, insomuch that neither the worshipful Benedict nor the brethren that were with him could move as much as a foot over the threshold of the place where they sat.

O God, Who didst cause the soul of the
blessed Virgin Scholastica to enter Heaven
in the form of a dove, to show us the way
of innocence grant, by her prayers and
merits, that we may live in such innocence,
as to deserve to attain eternal joys.
Through our Lord. ~ Collect

It is usual in the art to represent St. Scholastica in the black habit of a Benedictine nun, as in the image at above. The book represents the Rule of St. Benedict, the basis for monasticism in the West. The dove reflects the account of St. Scholastica’s death in which Benedict is said to have seen her soul flying up to Heaven in the form of a dove.  The object in her right hand, which here seems to be some sort of standard, is more commonly a crozier, representing her abbatial authority.

Patron: Against rain; convulsive children; nuns; storms.

Symbols: Nun with crozier and crucifix; nun with dove flying from her mouth.

RESOURCES

• St. Scholastic for Kids – Bio and prayers
• St. Scholastica Bio for Kids – Loyola Press
• Holy Twins Study – Mosaic Sample
• St. Benedict Medal Coloring Page – copy, paste and resize image
• St. Scholastica Bio – EWTN
• Letter Attributed to St. Scholastica
• THE ABBEY OF MONTECASSINO – Museum
• Litany of St. Scholastica

in regards to Lent….”My venerable brother says that we are to “guard ourselves from faults” during this holy time. To do this, one must “always remember all God’s commandments, and constantly turn over in one’s heart how hell will burn those who despise him by their sins and how eternal life has been prepared for those who fear him” (RB 7:11). My brother calls this the first step of humility. As for me, my faults appear daily in the bright mirror of the Scriptures. I have no excuse for putting off the labour of my conversion. As the psalmist says: “Thou hast set our evil-doings before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance” (Ps 89:8). ~ St. Scholastica

St. Scholastica Prayer

O God, to show us where innocence leads, you made the soul of your virgin Saint Scholastica soar to heaven like a dove in flight. Grant through her merits and her prayers that we may so live in innocence as to attain to joys everlasting. This we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.