Description

St Benedict Healing Oil (Patron for Fever)

St Benedict Patron Fever born into a Roman noble family with his twin sister Scholastica. He grew up with the expectation that he would follow his family’s wishes for a career in Roman government. However, not impressed by the dissolute lives of others in his generation and at about the age of 20 retreated into a cave near Enfide. There for three years he lived as a hermit. As he matured in wisdom, age, and grace, others noted his qualities and invited him to lead their local community of monks. At first this did not do well, as the monks resisted Benedict’s efforts to bring greater spiritual discipline to their lives. Benedict said to have escaped their attempts to poison him by miraculous means, once with a cup of poisoned wine shattering as he blessed it.

Benedict went on to establish a number of monasteries, the most important of which the Benedictine monastery at Monte Cassino where he died in 543.

Monasticism had a long lineage in Christian life going back to its founding in Egypt in the 300’s. The life was one of heroic virtue, with some monks practicing long fasts and other ascetic practices to the admiration of their followers. St. Benedict of a more practical mind. He wanted to create a model of monastic life that would make it possible for ordinary men to follow every day. He also wanted to create a community with the abbot as the father guiding the monks in the daily practice of work and prayer.