Oldest Benedictine Abbey in the West Approaches Landmark 1500th Anniversary

(ZENIT News, Montecassino, 03.30. 2026).- On July 11, 2025, the feast of Saint Benedict, Patron of Europe, the Abbey of Montecassino began preparations for the 1500th anniversary of its foundation, which will take place in 2029.

The itinerary will propose a journey in four stages: peace, faith and hope, memory and future, and culture. This was explained by the Archbishop of Montecassino, Dom Luca Fallica, at the end of the solemn Eucharistic celebration, presided over by the Archbishop of Naples, Cardinal Domenico Battaglia, and accompanied by the «Schola Cantorum Montis Casini».

The historic Benedictine Monastery was founded by Saint Benedict of Nursia in 529 and was the cradle of the Benedictine Order. Moreover, the Community made significant contributions to European culture. On March 21, the commemoration of Saint Benedict’s death, the traditional Benedictine torch of peace was received, carried by hundreds of students from the Benedictine Abbeys of Nursia, Subiaco, Cassino, and Monte Cassino.

With the celebrations of the 1500th anniversary of the Benedictine Abbey, the international Pacis Nuntius Prize was created by the monastic community to «stimulate and promote concrete commitments to peace in various places around the world.»

The first recipient of the award was Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who was unable to travel to Italy due to the war in the Middle East, although he participated remotely in the meeting dedicated to world peace. The Patriarch highlighted, among other things, the disastrous situation of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Given the unpredictable consequences of the conflict in the Persian Gulf, he emphasized the need for immediate peace. Cardinal Pizzaballa also expressed hope to travel personally to Montecassino on July 10 and offer a prayer for peace in memory of Saint Benedict.

The Pacis Nuntius Prize takes its title from the Apostolic Letter of Pope Paul VI, in which he declared Saint Benedict Patron of Europe in 1964. The Abbey stated: «Through this distinction, the Abbey wishes to support efforts for justice and share its commitment to the long and complex path to peace, placing this initiative within a broader process aimed at promoting Benedictine spirituality.»

The awarding of the Prize to Cardinal Pizzaballa was motivated by his «constant commitment to the promotion of dialogue among nations and his witness of Christian peace as an indispensable foundation for the protection of life and harmony.»

Abbot Luca Fallica emphasized that «war, in its cruelty, makes everyone a victim, particularly affecting the most vulnerable, including children. It is the duty of the Benedictines to support those who work for peace by all means.» And he quoted the prophet Haggai: «In this place, peace will reign.»

Abbot Fallica noted that both the Benedictines and those who share their charism aspire to become pacis nuntii — messengers of peace –, in the contemporary world.