Excerpts from Books and Wikipedia
Shocked by the licentiousness of Rome, St. Benedict lived as a hermit in a cave east of Rome. Later, "the fame of his sanctity" drew him out into monastic life. He built 12 more monasteries. "The Rule of St. Benedict became the basis of monastic life throughout western Christendom." [Furtado: 1001 Days] "Benedict of Nursia (…) is a Christian saint, who is venerated in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Anglican Communion and Old Catholic Churches. He is a patron saint of Europe." [Wikipedia]