22. The Deception of King Totila

This painting tells the remarkable story of a king who decided to put Saint Benedict to test.

While Benedict was living at the monastery of Monte Cassino, King Totila, ruler of the Ostrogoths, heard that the saint was said to possess the gift of prophecy. Unconvinced, the king devised a scheme to test this claim and reveal what he believed to be a deception.

Instead of appearing before Benedict himself, he dressed his squire, Rigo, in the royal garments: a crown, a purple cloak and all the insignia of kingship. To make the deception even more convincing, he sent him accompanied by his three chief counts and a large cortege.

Now take a closer look at the painting. .

Saint Benedict is seated inside the monastery, holding a large book in his hands.

The painting captures the very moment when Rigo presents himself before Benedict. But before he can utter a single word, Benedict exposes the deception, saying: “My son, take off all these things you are wearing, for they do not belong to you.”

At that very moment, Rigo realises that he has been discovered and falls to the ground, overcome with shame. You can recognise him by the crown, the purple robes and the collar that symbolises his borrowed royal status.

If you look through the window of the room, you will notice the rest of the cortege making their way back to inform King Totila that his plan has failed, because Benedict has uncovered the truth.

But the story does not end there. If you would like to discover what happens next, look for the bas-relief beneath the Altarpiece of Saint Scholastica. There you will find the second part of the story, when King Totila comes in person to ask Saint Benedict for forgiveness.

This episode reminds us of one of the central convictions of the Christian tradition: before God, appearances count for nothing. What really matters is the truth of the human heart.