Monte Cassino, << MON tee kuh SEE noh, >> is an abbey in Italy, located between Rome and Naples. About A.D. 529, Saint Benedict of Nursia sought refuge from persecution inside the ruined city of Cassino. Benedict and his followers built the monastery on a height above the town. Here, Benedict wrote the most influential rule (set of guidelines for monastic living) in western monasticism.
The Benedictine monastery at Monte Cassino reached the height of its influence from 1058 to 1087. Abbot Desiderius, who later became Pope Victor III, ruled it during that time. The monks of Monte Cassino produced manuscripts and paintings which became famous throughout the world. In 1071, a new abbey church was consecrated. It was named a cathedral in 1321.
In 1866, when Italy dissolved many of its monasteries, Monte Cassino became a national monument. Its buildings held a monastery, a school for laymen, and two seminaries. The abbey’s library contained an excellent collection of manuscripts. During World War II, the Allied advance was held up at Cassino and the abbey was bombarded. However, most of Monte Cassino’s treasures were saved. By 1952, the Italian government had rebuilt the buildings along their original lines. They put the masterpieces of the monastery on public display.
