Editorial
The Benedictines were the most influential and widespread monastic religious order in the Middle Ages. They followed the rules set out by Saint Benedict of Nursia (ca. 480–547), who was a Christian monk and theologian regarded as the founder of the Benedictine Order of monasticism. His seventy-three-chapter rulebook set out the requirements and routines for monastic communal life, including aspects of daily worship, work, and interactions.
In addition to the rule – as the pages that follow explain – other sources of early Benedictine spirituality have survived, including monastic compounds, exquisite manuscripts, icons, metalwork, and textiles, as well as the famous and mysterious plan of Saint Gall, which details how monasteries should be designed and organized.
The Benedictine form of monasticism became so popular and widespread throughout Europe that soon several transformations and reforms took place. These led to the emergence of new monastic orders – like the Cistercians – that grew in popularity in various corners of the medieval world. These were still deeply tied to the rule of Saint Benedict, but foregrounded particular aspects of monastic life, such as prolonged prayer and manual labor. Several of the Benedictine monasteries also emerged as key sites of artistic patronage – like Westminster Abbey
