St. Scholastica (about 480–543), the sister of St. Benedict, consecrated her life to God as a young girl and led a community of nuns near her brother’s monastery of Monte Cassino. Almost everything we know about her comes from one beautiful story told by Pope St. Gregory the Great: on her last visit with her brother, she prayed for a storm so that he could not leave, because, Gregory says, she could do more since she loved more. She is the patron of nuns and of Benedictine sisters and is invoked against storms. Her feast is February 10. Below are prayers to St. Scholastica, the story of her last visit, Scripture and her life.
A prayer to St. Scholastica
Written for this page:
St. Scholastica, you loved God with all your heart
and found your joy in speaking with your brother about the things of heaven.
God answered your prayer because you loved much.
Pray for me, that I may love God more,
trust him in prayer like a child,
and long for the joys of heaven.
Obtain for me the grace I ask: (name your intention). Amen.
A prayer for brothers and sisters
St. Scholastica, you and St. Benedict loved each other in God.
Bless my brothers and sisters, especially (name).
Heal what divides us, help us to encourage each other in faith,
and bring us together one day in heaven. Amen.
This prayer was written for this page.
Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity.
A prayer for religious sisters
St. Scholastica, mother of Benedictine nuns,
pray for all women who have given their lives to God in religious life.
Strengthen them in prayer and community,
and call many young women to follow Christ in this way. Amen.
This prayer was written for this page.
A prayer in a storm
St. Scholastica, God sent a storm in answer to your prayer.
Now we ask your prayers for calm and safety.
Protect our home and all who are in danger from this storm,
and give us peace. Amen.
This prayer was written for this page.
The story of her last visit
St. Gregory the Great tells the story in the second book of his Dialogues. Once a year Scholastica and Benedict met at a house near Monte Cassino to spend the day in prayer and holy conversation. At their last meeting, as evening fell, Scholastica begged her brother to stay the night so that they could keep talking about the joys of heaven. Benedict refused: a monk must not spend the night outside his monastery. Scholastica bowed her head on the table in prayer, and at once a violent thunderstorm broke out, so heavy that Benedict and his monks could not leave. “God forgive you, sister! What have you done?” he asked. She answered that she had asked him and he would not listen, so she had asked God, and God had listened. They spent the night in spiritual conversation. Gregory concludes that she could do more, because she loved more.
Three days later, from his cell, Benedict saw his sister’s soul rising to heaven in the form of a dove. He had her body placed in the tomb he had prepared for himself, so that, as Gregory writes, those whose minds had always been one in God would not be separated in the grave.
Jesus’ words to Martha fit her life:
Now it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain town: and a certain woman named Martha, received him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, who sitting also at the Lord’s feet, heard his word.
But Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? speak to her therefore, that she help me.
And the Lord answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled about many things:
But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.
The life of St. Scholastica
According to tradition, Scholastica was the twin sister of St. Benedict, born around 480 in Nursia (Norcia), in Umbria, Italy. She dedicated herself to God from childhood. When Benedict founded the monastery of Monte Cassino, she settled with other women at Plombariola, a few miles away, and lived under his guidance, becoming the first Benedictine nun. She died around 543, shortly before her brother. Their relics are venerated together at Monte Cassino.
Feast day and patronage
- Feast day: February 10. A novena can run from February 1 to 9.
- Patron of: nuns and Benedictine sisters, education and schools, and protection against storms and lightning.
- Symbols: a dove, a Benedictine habit, a book of the Rule, and a crosier.
Frequently asked questions
When is the feast of St. Scholastica?
February 10.
Was St. Scholastica St. Benedict’s twin?
Tradition says so, although St. Gregory’s Dialogues simply call her his sister.
What is St. Scholastica the patron saint of?
Nuns, Benedictine sisters, schools and protection from storms.
Why is St. Scholastica shown with a dove?
Because St. Benedict saw her soul rise to heaven in the form of a dove at her death.
More prayers
- Patron saint of weather
- St. Benedict prayer and medal
- St. Clare prayer
- St. Teresa of Avila prayer
- Prayers of the faithful for vocations
- Prayers to popular saints
- Saint feast days
Texts and sources
- St. Gregory the Great, Dialogues, book II, chapters 33–34.
- Scripture: Psalm 132:1 (133:1 in modern Bibles); Luke 10:38–42, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- The prayers were written for this page.