There is very little information about the life of Saint Benedict. The best source we have is the writings of Saint Gregory The Great, who lived shortly after Benedict's death. Benedict was born in Nursia in 480, the son of a noble and wealthy family, twin brother to Saint Scholastica. When he was a child, his parents sent him to be educated in Rome, accompanied by his beloved nurse. After some time he fled Rome to live in a community of ascetics in Affile, allegedly because of the decadence he witnessed in Rome. He was taken in at the Church of Saint Peter. He later left Saint Peter's to spend three years in isolation as a hermit, living in a cave. On the way to the cave Benedict was befriended by a monk by the name of Romanus (later to become Saint Romanus). Romanus would bring bread to the cave for Benedict from his own rations, and tie it to a rope and lower it down to him. The rope had a bell on it so Benedict would know Romanus was lowering him food. After three years Benedict left his isolation. At the request of a nearby monastery, he became their abbot. It was during this time that he drew up the rule which his order was based on and started the Benedictine Monasteries. Benedict believed in restraint and adaptability. The Benedictine Rule consists of the rule of prayer, work and the performance of the Divine Office, the last taking precedence over everyhting else.       Legend has it that when Benedict was the Abbot at Vicovaro Monastery some of the monks tried to poison him, being resentful of his strict and rigid nature. It is said when he blessed the chalice that held the unsuspected poison, the chalice shattered. Saint Benedict is credited with being the Patrioch of Western monks. Saint Benedict is the patron saint Europe (declared Father of Europe by Pope Pius XII in 1964), of the Carpetians, France, speleologists (since 1957), coppersmiths, teachers, schoolchildren, the dying, miners, invoked against poisoning, inflamation, gallstones, feaver, magic, and in battles. Saint Benedict died on March 21, 547, the Saturday preceeding Passion Sunday. Numerous miracles have been attributed to him. His Feast Day in the Catholic Church is July 11th.