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Secondary sourceBook1900

The Life and Times of St. Benedict, Patriarch of the Monks of the West

Peter Lechner · 1900

An abridged 1900 English translation of a German biography of Benedict, describing his life as founder of Western monasticism.

A biography written by a fellow Benedictine monk, showing how Benedict's order preserved and promoted his memory.

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The Life and Times of St. Benedict, Patriarch of the Monks of the WestPDF · 344 pages
Peter Lechner, The Life and Times of St. Benedict, Patriarch of the Monks of the West, 1900 (scanned book, Internet Archive).

About this source

What it is

This book, translated and abridged from the German work of Peter Lechner, a prior of a Benedictine abbey in Bavaria, was published in London in 1900. It presents the life and times of Benedict of Nursia, called the patriarch of monks of the West.

Why it matters

Written by a Benedictine monk for English Catholic readers, it reflects how Benedict's memory was kept alive within his own religious order centuries after his death, and how his legacy was tied to the spread of monasticism across Europe, including England.

Look closer

  • Why would a Benedictine monk want to translate and spread this biography in England?
  • What does the translator's preface tell you about why this book was made?
  • How might a biography written by a member of the saint's own order differ from one written by an outsider?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Saint Benedict on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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