Day 2 of Lent Madness delivered a saintly showdown for the ages ⚔️✨
South Africa’s Archbishop takes down America’s first saint! Desmond Tutu defeats Elizabeth Ann Seton. It wasn’t without a fight, but Tutu moves on with joy and momentum 🙌🔥
Now onto a saintly showdown that spans the globe 🌍. It’s a classic East/West rivalry as Benedict of Nursia faces Basil the Great. The Rule of Benedict vs the Rule of Basil. A rivalry as old as the Church itself 📜✝️
In Christ there may be no East or West… but in Lent Madness, there can only be ONE 👑
👉 Check out Instagram & YouTube for the daily videos 🎥 🗳️ Read, watch, and VOTE!!!
Benedict of Nursia
Saint Benedict of Nursia, the father of Western monasticism, was born into a wealthy family in Nursia, Italy, around 480 A.D. Wise beyond his years, he lived a life rich in miracles while forging a balanced Rule that would sustain monastic communities, and much of Western Christianity, to this day. He had a twin sister named Scholastica. Sent to Rome for a liberal education, Benedict made the journey with his nurse. Beyond disgusted by the immoral people and licentious lifestyles he encountered there, he fled thirty miles outside the city with his nurse, settling in the Enfide mountains. He then secretly withdrew even farther to a cave near Subiaco, living as a hermit for three years. The only exception was a monk named Romanus, providing him with bread and essentials through a rudimentary pulley system.
Such solitude could not last forever. Local shepherds discovered Benedict and eventually converted from their “savage life” to a more virtuous one. Word of Benedict’s way of life spread quickly—his reputation attracted both secular men and those aspiring to a more solitary life. He decided to build twelve individual monasteries, each with their own priory, and he oversaw all of them.
Around 530 A.D., Benedict moved to Monte Cassino, establishing two chapels that eventually morphed into a famous abbey. He seems to have again lived a life of solitude until word spread about what he was building. He made one major change: bringing the monks together under one roof, a shift towards communal life governed by an abbot and deans—an interesting decision for a man who once cherished living alone. The abbey soon gained widespread renown, drawing both dignitaries and laymen to converse with Benedict, prompted no doubt by reports of his miracles, especially those attributed to him raising the dead. He likely composed his guide “Rule” during this time to outline monastic life. Benedict ventured outside the walls of the monastery, into the surrounding area, where he cared for the population and tended to those most in need.
Benedict predicted many events in his life, including his own death. In 547 A.D., six days before he died, he instructed monks to dig his grave. Once it was completed, he fell deathly ill. With the caring support of his fellow monks, he went to the chapel, received communion, prayed, lifted his arms toward heaven, and died. Benedict was laid to rest in the Oratory of St. John the Baptist, which he built on top of Apollo’s altar. Faithful to the end, Benedict reminds us that while few are called to the cave, all are called to resist the world’s corruption, step away from its noise, and reorder life more fully toward God.
— Sara Kay Hill
Collect for Benedict of Nursia
Gracious God, whose service is perfect freedom and in whose commandments there is nothing harsh nor burdensome: Grant that we, with your servant Benedict, may listen with attentive minds, pray with fervent hearts, and serve you with willing hands, so that we might live at peace with one another and in obedience to your Word, Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Basil the Great
Saint Basil was a prominent theologian in the early church whose contributions are the foundation for worship today. Reading the introduction to his Wikipedia article is reminiscent of that one scene in Prince Caspian in which Peter writes a letter to Miraz, and at least a third of it is all titles — Confessor, Cappadocian Father, Doctor of the Church, Great Hierarch, father of communal monasticism in the Eastern Church, and Revealer of Heavenly Mysteries. It is no wonder the Church simply calls him “the Great” to save time!
But who was he - not the saint, but the man?
Basil was born around 329 in Caesarea of Cappadocia (modern-day Turkey) into a large, wealthy, and pious Christian family. A brilliant student, he became a scholar and a lawyer in his young adulthood. By all accounts, that would have been his life’s course, had it not been for his family’s faithful witness, especially that of his sister, Macrina.
While he was away at school, Macrina founded a religious community in their family home. Upon returning home and learning about this way of life, dedicated to God and community, Basil turned his eyes to the Gospel. He wrote, “I beheld the wonderful light of the Gospel truth, and I recognized the nothingness of the wisdom of the princes of this world.”
Drawing on his learnings, he and his friends formed their own monastery. He wrote about monasticism and, with Gregory of Nazianzus, compiled the Longer and Shorter Rules, which set the rhythm of communal monastic life. This writing became the foundation for monastic traditions in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
From there, he was ordained a priest and later named a bishop. In these roles, he pushed back hard on the popular Arian heresy - that Jesus and the Holy Spirit were creations of God and therefore subordinate to God. Not only was this heresy a threat to theology, but it was tearing Christian communities apart. He wanted Christianity united under a set of beliefs and advocated that Trinitarian theology be a part of that set. His writings on this subject shaped how we understand the Trinity today. Unfortunately, he did not live to see the end result of his work - dying two years before the Second Ecumenical Council that set the Nicene Creed as a foundation for our faith.
His legacy lives on, though, and not just through our theology. As a bishop, when not fighting theological battles, his mission was to care for the poor, the sick, and the lonely. He founded one of the first hospitals in the world and set the tradition of Christians sponsoring free healthcare. Sincerely, he was a great and honorable man.
— Bekah Scolare
Collect for Basil the Great
Almighty God, who has revealed to your church your eternal Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in Trinity of Persons: Give us grace that, like your bishop Basil of Caesarea, we may continue steadfastly in the confession of this faith and remain constant in our worship of you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; every one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
110 comments on “Benedict of Nursia vs. Basil the Great”
Saint Benedict
What is love about the Episcopal Church is that it can honor both East and West. In the last several years I have come to appreciate what the Eastern Traditions offer. My vote is for Basil.
As an Associate of The Benedictine Order of The Holy Cross I am required to read The Rule three times a year, and then try to keep my version of it! I have to go with Benedict!!
Does your version differ from the original?
St Benedict is well known to the west, and his rule is comfortable (as in familiar), but I voted for Basil because I like to recognize non-western Christianity. U.S. culture is flattened due to centuries of white supremacy. West Asia, northern Africa, the eastern Mediterranean: I have to work to remind myself that these regions are the terroir of the faith. As a radical terroirist, I am voting for Basil.
OK. Benedict birthed Lectio Divina and its riches. Basil defended the confounding mathematical mystery of our one most holy trinitarian God. All good, but somehow not exciting to me this morning. So I went with Basil simply because I think he'd be a lot more fun at a dinner party.
Love the idea of inviting a saint to a dinner party and voting according to who might be the more interesting or more fun guest!
Okaaay,
Why?
Basil for me: like St Celia I appreciate the Eastern roots of our faith, and the Trinity is indeed vital, for it is One God we serve.
Not a clear choice for me here. My vote literally came down to a coin flip.
Basil for his advocacy of Trinitarian theology. We would not be reciting the Nicene Creed today without his efforts!
Trinity vs. Community
Both are essential to my faith.
I'm going for Community.
I'm casting my vote for Basil's sister Macrina, although I came in planning to vote for Benedict' twin sister Scholastica. Macrina led the way and modeled the monastic life for her brother.
Basil for the crown today. Not only did I love the "St. Basil Hymnal" as a child organist (there are some gems in there!), I like the smell of the plant, but not the taste of pesto. However, his arguments in refutation of Arianism are the most important salvation of Christianity as we know it, despite Benedict's more familiar rule of life. I'm all in for Basileus Magnus!
My vote is not registering. I've tried reopening the email/link but still it's not registering. = frustrating.
Both saints were influential on monasticism, but since most of the Episcopal churches I have attended were named for the Trinity I’m casting my vote for Basil.
It took several tries to get my vote to register. It worked after claiming not to be a robot—not sure if that helped.
it finally took my vote! BTW, there is LM info on the LM Facebook page, that is not on this main page. Still have not found the Celebrity Blogger info.
St. Benedict is our patronal saint, and our parish has become a community influenced by his rule, especially in the concepts of balance, hospitality and welcome. Our priest has even introduced Morning Prayer on zoom, weekday mornings, and now has introduced Compline during Lent. St. Benedict, hands down, today.
Close today!
This was a tough one and as of this writing, they are neck and neck. I chose Basil especially because he advocated for free health care and he didn't openly condemn others as Benedict did. Both are worthy of sainthood though.
Thank for the daily listing but i am having trouble posting to facebook to share with others in my parish. I get so far then it gets stuck in the loading.
You guys don't make it easy. These are two great saints!
I am voting for the theologian inspired by his sister who immersed himself with n the world and combined learning with loving care for the poor the sick and the lonely. As our NHS is under threat, my vote for Basil honours his commitment to free health care.
I thought I'd be voting for Benedict on account of a lovely local Benedictine monastery, but Basil's defense of the Trinity (and the Prince Caspian reference) won me over
Having attended a Benedictine convent school (the principal was Sister Scholastica), I was sure who I'd vote for and read about Basil just out of curiosity. It was a tough choice, but I'm going with Basil today. Do you suppose my favorite herb is named after him?
I voted for Benedict because his significance is almost impossible to overstate. While many saints shaped theology or defended doctrine, Benedict shaped Christian civilization itself. His Rule (both profoundly spiritual and remarkably practical) created a stable, ordered, prayer-centered way of life that preserved learning, cultivated virtue, and formed communities that carried the faith through cultural collapse. Basil is great, but Benedict is foundational! Benedict did not just inspire holiness, he built a structure that makes holiness sustainable.
My first impulse was Benedict and the "all are called to resist the world’s corruption, step away from its noise, and reorder life more fully toward God," but then Basil's "legacy lives on, though, and not just through our theology" introduced me to how/why I understand the Trinity, so that plus the role model activities set my vote.
Benedict's Rule has been a part of my life for many years and I find new insights often in the words I've read over and over. I'm pleased that there are many saints who continue to be inspirations for us. Thank you to our leaders for providing a challenging matchup this early in the Madness!
Basil for healthcare!
Why can’t I vote using my iPhone or iPad?
The Facebook page doesn’t have this vote up.