The Italian Church of Saint Benedict reopened 9 years after it was destroyed by the earthquake

Written by Hannah Brockhouse

Rome Newsroom, November 3, 2025 at 10:00 am

The Basilica of St. Benedict

Archbishop Renato Boccardo of Spoleto-Norsia inaugurated the newly rebuilt church on October 31, the eve of All Saints' Day. The cathedral represents the birthplace of Saint Benedict, the founder of Benedictine monasticism and the father of Western monasticism. He is also the patron saint of Europe.

Nine years ago, on October 30, a 6.6-magnitude earthquake — the latest in a series of deadly earthquakes that struck central Italy between August and October 2016 — almost completely destroyed the church, leaving only the facade standing.

A nearby monastery of Benedictine monks, who were caretakers of the church at the time, was also destroyed in the October 2016 earthquake.

Archbishop Renato Boccardo, of the Diocese of Spoleto of Norsia, incenses the Basilica of St. Benedict Credit: Diocese of Spoleto Nursia

Reconstruction of the cathedral and crypt began in December 2021 and used as many original materials as possible while incorporating earthquake-resistant design and accessibility for the disabled. The project cost reached 15 million euros (about 17 million dollars).

“The restoration of this important monument, of great historical and artistic value, as well as a vibrant center of Benedictine spirituality, represents the visible sign of the difficult journey of religious revival undertaken by the entire diocese community in recent years,” Pope Leo

“The doors of the basilica are open today to receive all who come here to derive light and strength for the path of Christian life,” Boccardo said in his sermon during the dedication mass on October 31.

He said: “As believers, we are well aware that a wonderful building is not enough to make it the house of God among human homes.” “Only a society that lives, with each passing day, in an honest search for what is right and good and just in His eyes will be able to have the Lord close to it.”

He continued: “Woe to us if we limit ourselves to presenting the beauty of this church if it does not match the beauty of a people built on the word and the Eucharist, who builds fraternal relations, is committed to a society that is more welcoming and merciful toward everyone, searches tirelessly for the wisdom that distinguishes good from evil, separates what builds from what demolishes, and what remains from what perishes, and practices Christian love daily.”

A Benedictine monastery in Norcia was built in the 10th century, but was closed by the Napoleonic army in the 19th century. A group of American monks re-established the community in Norcia in 1999.

After the 2016 earthquake, the monastic community moved to a former Capuchin monastery about 1.5 miles east of the city. They completed the reconstruction of the earthquake-damaged property outside Norcia in mid-2024, and the community was raised to monastery level.

The Abbey of San Benedetto in Monte is famous for brewing beer and being a vibrant center of Benedictine spirituality in the Umbria region of central Italy.

Hannah Brockhouse is the chief correspondent for Catholic News Agency at the Vatican. After growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, she earned a degree in English from Truman State University in Missouri. In 2016, she moved to Rome, Italy, where in her spare time she enjoys reading and going on adventures with her husband and son.

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