28. Saint Benedict’s death

This painting tells us about the remarkable events that accompanied the death of Saint Benedict.

Saint Benedict had received a revelation of the day on which he would die, and he shared this knowledge with his monks.

Six days before the appointed day, he fell seriously ill. He had high fever and his body grew weaker and weaker. When the day he had foretold arrived, he asked to be carried to the chapel. There, for the last time, he received the Body and Blood of Christ.

This painting depicts the moment immediately afterwards.

Look at the figure of Saint Benedict. He is the tallest figure in the entire composition, standing slightly on centre left. Two monks support him as he opens his arms in a gesture of surrender, offering his life to God and giving his last breath.

If you look closely at his mouth, you will see a small ray of light rising towards heaven. It is a symbolic representation of his soul, leaving this world to go and meet the Lord.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the painting, the monks mourn the death of their father and master teacher.

But his biographer tells us of a wonderful event that took place at the moment of his death.

Two monks who lived in another monastery had an identical vision, which our painter has chosen to depict in the upper part of the painting.

They saw a radiant path linking Saint Benedict’s cell with heaven. Then an angel said to them: “This is the path by which Benedict, the beloved of the Lord, has ascended to heaven.”

If you look closely, you will find these same words written in Latin on the ribbon held by the two angels.

For every Christian, this vision offers a sign of hope: death is not the end of the journey, but the beginning of our ultimate encounter with God. Saint Benedict’s final gesture therefore expresses not fear, but trusting surrender to the One to whom he had devoted his entire life.