“Sisters, welcome home.” Can you imagine those words echoing through the walls of Chiesa di San Benedetto? This church stands as a testament to faith and resilience.
Chiesa di San Benedetto is located on Via Bellotti. It may seem an unassuming building from the outside. However, it holds within it a rich history and spiritual significance.
Let’s journey back to October 11, 1892. Three Benedictine nuns arrived in Milan from Arras France. They had been forced into exile by decrees suppressing monasteries in France. The Archbishop of Milan welcomed them. He asked them to establish a monastery here.
In 1894, the Benedictine Mothers submitted a proposal. It was for a building to house a college and external schools. Giuseppe Piazzino was the architect. Construction began, and the building permit was granted on August 27, 1896. The initial building only covered part of the plot. This plot was between Via Kramer, Via Bellotti, Via Poerio, and Via Goldoni. It included an extensive garden and orchard.
In 1918, the monastery commissioned architect Spirito Maria Chiappetta to expand the complex. His task was to add another building for a school and a church. Both would face Via Bellotti. The first stone was laid in 1921. The church was consecrated in 1929. Chiappetta designed several sacred buildings. The Istituto Vittoria Colonna and the Santuario di San Camillo de Lellis are examples.
Chiappetta chose a Gothic architectural style for Chiesa di San Benedetto. It had a distinct Northern European influence. He completed the sacred building. He added a transept facing Via Bellotti for the faithful. Chiappetta designed several facade options in the neo-Gothic style. However, the Commission on Ornament rejected the proposal in 1923. The facade remained incomplete as a result. It is bare brick as we see it today. Only the rose window the portal and the connecting portico between the church and the school were completed. The school’s style is more eclectic-classic. A large cloistered garden and schoolyard sit behind the school monastery and church. The monastery suffered significant damage in 1943 especially on the Via Kramer side.
The interior of Chiesa di San Benedetto is dark. It features a Northern European Gothic style. Ribbed vaults spring from slender columns. They create an intricate stone pattern. The form is similar to other churches designed by Chiappetta. San Camillo and Santa Maria del Buon Consiglio share similarities.
The Benedictine nuns live a harmonious synthesis. It is between the Rule of Saint Benedict and the charism of perpetual adoration. Their mission involves the solemn celebration of the liturgy. They cultivate the Word of God through lectio divina. Silence and uninterrupted adoration before the tabernacle define their prayer life. They intercede and supplicate for the conversion and salvation of all.
Chiesa di San Benedetto offers hospitality to those seeking spiritual retreat. Guests share in the monastic and Eucharistic spirituality. Groups participate in the monastery’s Eucharistic celebrations on Sundays. Some form of shared prayer is always included. This may include a liturgical hour communal adoration or lectio divina.
This sacred place has faced challenges. To settle debts, the monastery sold part of its orchard to Dolce & Gabbana. Bureaucratic issues prevented the work from starting. Part of the garden remains abandoned today. Despite these challenges, the Monastero di San Benedetto continues to be a sanctuary of prayer. It is a place of welcome and spiritual enrichment in Milan. Take a moment to appreciate the history and devotion. It is embedded in the walls of Chiesa di San Benedetto.