Abbot Alban Riley is leading the revision of the Benedictine liturgical calendar, much like updating a car's control module to ensure smooth functioning. The proposed changes aim to balance the cycle of feasts and seasons while allowing monasteries flexibility, preserving the Benedictine tradition of prioritizing liturgical seasons over an ever-expanding list of saints.
Dom Gregory de Wit, a Benedictine artist, left a profound yet often overlooked legacy through his monumental murals and religious artworks across Europe and the U.S. A 2025 retrospective in Germany aims to document his contributions, with organizers seeking additional information on his lesser-known works. Gallery, story and contact info here.
At this year’s BCC meeting, participants shared updates on their communities’ engagement with China and heard insights from experts. The discussion included perspectives from Chinese priests and seminarians, offering a broader view of the Church’s current situation.
In this edition of NEXUS, Abbot Primate Jeremias shares his take on some events at Sant’Anselmo and in our Benedictine Confederation. He appreciates a recent letter of the Holy Father and reflects about the places to which we Benedictines are bound.
In this article, Abbot Jeremias takes us through six weeks' worth of notable monastic events, from leadership changes to community transitions. This overview both highlights stories in this issue of NEXUS and includes other key developments shaping the Benedictine world at the beginning of 2025.
On Ash Wednesday, 5 March, the traditional "stational" liturgy began at 4:30 p.m. in the Basilica of Sant'Anselmo. As Pope Francis recovered from bilateral pneumonia, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis presided over the celebration, leading the penitential procession to the Basilica of Santa Sabina. But why does the procession begin at Sant’Anselmo? In this essay, Fr. Stefan Geiger explains why. Includes video, photos and links.