Benedictines
Roman Catholic monastic order / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (Latin: Ordo Sancti Benedicti, abbreviated as OSB), are a monastic religious order of the Catholic Church following the Rule of Saint Benedict. They are also sometimes called the Black Monks, in reference to the colour of their religious habits. They were founded by Benedict of Nursia, a 6th-century monk who laid the foundations of Benedictine monasticism through the formulation of his Rule of Saint Benedict.
| Latin: Ordo Sancti Benedicti | |
 Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal | |
| Abbreviation | OSB |
|---|---|
| Formation | 529 |
| Founder | Benedict of Nursia |
| Founded at | Subiaco Abbey |
| Type | Catholic religious order |
| Headquarters | Sant'Anselmo all'Aventino |
Members | 6,802 (3,419 priests) as of 2020 |
| Gregory Polan, OSB | |
Main organ | Benedictine Confederation |
Parent organization | Catholic Church |
| Website | osb |
Despite being called an order, the Benedictines do not operate under a single hierarchy but are instead organised as a collection of autonomous monasteries. The order is represented internationally by the Benedictine Confederation, an organisation set up in 1893 to represent the order's shared interests. They do not have a superior general or motherhouse with universal jurisdiction, but elect an Abbot Primate to represent themselves to the Vatican and to the world.