As an historical
personage, St. Scholastica's life is not well documented. As St.
Benedict's twin, we know that Scholastica was born about 480 AD in the
mountains of the Italian district of Nursia, about 75 miles north of
Rome. She died in 547, the same year as Benedict, and she is
usually depicted with a dove, recalling the extraordinary miracle her
brother experienced at the time of her passing.Like St. Benedict, the earliest reference to her is in St. Gregory the Great's "Dialogues", the hagiographical account St. Benedict's life. In the work, St. Gregory notes vaguely that Scholastica was dedicated to “the Lord Almighty” from her infancy. Beyond this we know nothing about how Scholastica spent her life, except that she apparently followed in the footsteps of her brother, entering monastic life and eventually coming to live at the monastery of nuns at Piumarola, near St. Benedict's Monte Cassino. However, at least one delightful story about the saint's life survives, and this also from the pen of St. Gregory.
It seems to have been St. Scholastica's custom, while at Piumarola, to meet with her brother once a year, in a house that was near Benedict's monastery. During one of these meetings, as the evening drew on, St. Benedict prepared to return to the monastic enclosure, since it was his rule not to pass the night away from there. St. Scholastica pleaded with him not to go, but, unable to convince him, she lowered her head and folded her hands in prayer. Her earnest petition to God resulted in a violent thunderstorm, which prevented Benedict's departure. "Sister!" Benedict exclaimed, "What have you done?" Scholastica calmly responded, "I asked you and you wouldn't listen to me. I asked my Lord and he listened. Go now, if you can." Unable to leave, St. Benedict remained with his sister, passing the whole night in "vigil" and "holy talk on the spiritual life." The interpretation of this story is supplied by St. Gregory: "It is no surprise that the woman who wished to see her brother for a longer time was on this occasion stronger than he . . . she was able to do more because she loved more."
Thus, St. Scholastica is taken as a model of great love and single-hearted devotion to God. And Benedict, in turn, was greatly devoted to Scholastica. At the time of her death, which occurred just three days after their fateful meeting, St. Benedict witnessed her soul ascending into heaven in the form of a dove. Sending his monks to bring her body, St. Benedict had it placed in the tomb he had prepared for himself. Again, Gregory comments: "In this way it happened that those two whose minds were always united in God were not separated in body by the grave."
St. Scholastica and St. Benedict, pray for us!