February 10: Feast of Saint Scholastica

Céline Arétin, head of cultural, women's and ecology-related topics, February 10, 2026

Who was Saint Scholastica?

Saint Scholastica (c. 480 - c. 543) was a Benedictine nun, the twin sister of Saint Benedict of Nursia. Born in Nursia, in Umbria (Italy), she was dedicated to God from childhood and founded a women's monastery at Piumarola, near Monte Cassino, following the Benedictine rule. Today, Saint Scholastica is the patron saint of Benedictine nuns, of educators, of those seeking rain or protection against bad weather, as well as of sibling relationships.

Miracles associated with Saint Scholastica

The most famous miracle is that of the storm she brought about through her prayer during her last meeting with her brother, Saint Benedict. In 543, as they were conversing about God in a house near Monte Cassino, she asked him to prolong their conversation through the night. When Benedict refused out of respect for the monastic rule, she turned to heaven in prayer. Immediately, a storm broke out, making any departure impossible. Astonished, Benedict said to her: "May God forgive you, my sister; what have you done to me?" She replied: "I asked you, and you would not listen to me; I asked my God, and He heard me." Three days later, Benedict had a vision of his sister's soul rising to heaven in the form of a dove.

Official recognition of Saint Scholastica

Saint Scholastica was recognised as a saint from the earliest centuries of Christianity, without going through a formal canonisation process, in accordance with the practices of the ancient Church. Her cult spread through the Benedictine monasteries, encouraged by the biography written by Saint Gregory the Great in his "Dialogues," where he recounts her miracle of the storm and her ascent to heaven in the form of a dove. Monte Cassino, founded by her brother Saint Benedict, was one of the first places of pilgrimage in her honour, and her relics were transferred to Fleury-sur-Loire (Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire) in France in the ninth century. She is also venerated by the Orthodox Church, although her cult there is less developed.

Saint Scholastica in art and literature

Among the most famous works, a fresco by the painter Fra Angelico at the convent of San Marco in Florence shows Saint Scholastica in prayer, while medieval stained-glass windows at the abbey of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire depict her last meeting with her brother. In sculpture, statues such as those in Sens Cathedral or the church of Subiaco show her raising her hands towards heaven. In the nineteenth century, her story was retold in hagiographic works such as Guérin's "Les Petits Bollandistes."