Sacro Speco, Italy, 06/15/2019
From when were there the olive tree at the entrance to the monastery? It seems to make visitors imagine what appearance of hermit might be before entering the monastery under cliff. The leaves from the quite old and dried tree are still lively and green.
Subiaco Monastery was built over a cave where Saint Benedict(c. AD 480–550) practiced seclusion and asceticism. Like the caves of Saint Ignatius of Manresa and the Monastery of La verna of Saint Francis, the cave of saint's practice were continuously changed by his followers and now it is beautifully and massively structured and still going. Here is the craddle of all monasteries because they were systemized by rule of Saint Benedict, a book of precepts written in 516 by him for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot.
Before entering the monastery, there is a cross observatory where you can see the panoramic view of town below. On the hillside we can see the whole view of Abbey of Saint Scholastica, who was sister of Saint Benedict.