This article is about monastic order of the Catholic Church. For similar monastic orders of the Eastern Orthodox Church, see Order of Saint Benedict (Orthodox). For similar monastic orders of the Anglican Communion, see Order of St. Benedict (Anglican). For other uses, see Benedictine (disambiguation).
"O.S.B." redirects here. For other uses, see OSB.
Not to be confused with OSBM, the Order of St Basil the Great (Ukrainian Greek Catholic).
Order of Saint Benedict
Ordo Sancti Benedicti
Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
Abbreviation
OSB
Formation
529; 1495 years ago (529)
Founder
Benedict of Nursia
Founded at
Subiaco Abbey
Type
Catholic religious order
Headquarters
Sant'Anselmo all'Aventino
Members
6,802 (3,419 priests) as of 2020[update]
Abbot Primate
Gregory Polan, OSB
Main organ
Benedictine Confederation
Parent organization
Catholic Church
Website
osb.org
The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (Latin: Ordo Sancti Benedicti, abbreviated as OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic religious order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. The male religious are also sometimes called the Black Monks, in reference to the colour of their religious habits, in contrast to other Benedictine orders such as the Olivetans, who wear white.[1] They were founded in 529 by Benedict of Nursia, a 6th-century Italian monk who laid the foundations of Benedictine monasticism through the formulation of his Rule. Benedict's sister, Scholastica, possibly his twin, also became a religious from an early age, but chose to live as a hermit. They retained a close relationship until her death.[2]
Despite being called an order, the Benedictines do not operate under a single hierarchy but are instead organized as a collection of autonomous monasteries and convents, some known as abbeys. The order is represented internationally by the Benedictine Confederation, an organization set up in 1893 to represent the order's shared interests. They do not have a superior general or motherhouse with universal jurisdiction but elect an Abbot Primate to represent themselves to the Vatican and to the world.
Benedictine nuns are given the title Dame in preference to Sister.[3]
^Almond, Joseph Cuthbert. "Olivetans." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 10 April 2019
^Mary Richard Boo OSB and Joan M. Braun OSB, Emerging from the Shadows: St. Scholastica, in Medieval Women Monastics, (Miriam Schmitt OSB and Linda Kulzer OSB, eds) The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, 1996 ISBN 9780814622926
^Stanford, P. (2003). "Dame Felicitas Corrigan". UK Guardian. Retrieved 5 October 2023. Dame Felicitas - the title Dame is given to English Benedictine nuns in preference to Sister ...
The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (Latin: Ordo Sancti Benedicti, abbreviated as OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic religious...
Benedictine College is a private Benedictine liberal arts college in Atchison, Kansas, United States. It was established in 1971 by the merger of St. Benedict's...
Santa Giustina, founded in Padua in 1408 by Dom Ludovico Barbo. The Benedictines suffered badly in the anti-clerical atmosphere at the time of Napoleon...
California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) since the 2015–16 academic year. Benedictines–Mesa competes in 15 intercollegiate athletic programs: Men's sports include...
of English Benedictines". The Tablet. London, UK. Retrieved 25 August 2021. "Abbot Christopher Jamison elected new President". benedictines.org.uk. 1 August...
The Benedictine Ravens are the athletic teams that represent Benedictine College, located in Atchison, Kansas, in intercollegiate sports as a member of...
Hours until the Reform of the Roman Breviary by Pope Pius X in 1911. Benedictines may not substitute the Roman Liturgy of the Hours for the Monastic Breviary...
Retrieved 2023-09-10. Sr. Wilhelmina – Benedictines of Mary Biography of Sr. Wilhelmina published by the Benedictines of Mary Portals: Biography Catholicism...
together and they chose the name 'Jericho Benedictines', a name which is highly significant.[why?] The Jericho Benedictine website states that its members have...
The Benedictine Vulgate, also called Vatican Vulgate or Roman Vulgate (full title: Biblia Sacra iuxta latinam vulgatam versionem ad codicum fidem, tr...
Benedictine Sisters may refer to any of the following Benedictine religious orders: Benedictine Sisters of the Reparation of the Holy Face Benedictine...
priory came to represent the Benedictine ideals espoused by the Cluniac reforms as smaller, lesser houses of Benedictines of Cluny. There were likewise...
Global Sisters Report. Retrieved 2024-04-08. Jones, Arthur (1999-12-03). "Benedictines welcome women to make temporary commitment". natcath.org. Retrieved 2024-04-08...
following is a list of colleges and universities founded or operated by the Benedictines within the United States. Belmont Abbey College is a private liberal...
Missionary Benedictines, is a congregation of religious houses within the Benedictine Confederation, the aim of which is to combine the Benedictine way of...
vernacular works fostered by the Benedictines. Most surviving vernacular literature was produced by followers of the Benedictine reformers, and written in the...
The Celestines were a Roman Catholic monastic order, a branch of the Benedictines, founded in 1244. At the foundation of the new rule, they were called...
human vocation, theosis. The Rule of Saint Benedict has been used by Benedictines for 15 centuries, and thus St. Benedict is sometimes regarded as the...
Australia Benedictines – Colebrook, Tasmania Czech Republic Cistercians – Vyšší Brod – with Cistercian Propers France Benedictines – Le Barroux Benedictines –...
Transvaal. Inspired by the contribution of the first generations of Benedictines in the conversion of Western Europe, they hoped to take over the area...
Rule of Saint Benedict. Ora et labora is the traditional slogan of the Benedictines. This derives from Benedict's desire for his monks to have balanced lives...
entered monastic life, Sant' Apollinare in Classe, was a traditional Benedictine community under the influence of the Cluniac reforms. Romuald chose to...
The Cluniac Reforms (also called the Benedictine Reform) were a series of changes within medieval monasticism in the Western Church focused on restoring...
Christian tradition. The Cyrillo-Methodian monks were succeeded by the Benedictines. The Cyrillo-Methodian tradition had begun in Moravia in the year 862...
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