The English Benedictine Congregation (abbr. EBC) comprises autonomous Roman Catholic Benedictine communities of monks and nuns and is the oldest of the 21 congregations that are affiliated in the Benedictine Confederation. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... ... A Roman Catholic monk A monk is a person who practices monasticism, adopting a strict religious and ascetic lifestyle, usually in community with others following the same path. ... In general, a nun is a female ascetic who chooses to voluntarily leave the world and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent. ... Jump to: navigation, search See also Rule of Saint Benedict and Benedictine. ...

The EBC can claim canonical continuity with the congregation erected by the Holy See in 1216. It can make a further claim to continuity with still earlier monasteries, although the Danish invasions broke the material continuity between the 7th and 10th centuries, so that the continuity with the community founded in Canterbury in 597 by St Augustine – sent by Pope St Gregory the Great from his monastery in Rome to make this foundation in England – can be regarded as merely a moral one. Events Prince Louis of France, the future King Louis VIII, invades England in the First Barons War Henry III becomes King of England. ... Location within the British Isles St Peters St, Canterbury, from the West Gate, 1993 Canterbury is a cathedral city in the county of Kent in southeast England. ... Events Saint Augustine is created Archbishop of Canterbury. ... Augustine of Canterbury (birth unknown, died May 26, 604 (traditional) or 605 (Thorn)) was the first Archbishop of Canterbury, sent to Ethelbert of Kent, Bretwalda of England by Pope Gregory the Great in 597. ... Gregory I Pope Saint Gregory I or Gregory the Great (c. ...

At the beginning of the 21st century the EBC has Houses in the United Kingdom, the United States, South America and Africa.

Every four years the General Chapter of the EBC elects from the Ruling Abbots with jurisdiction an Abbot President, who may be re-elected once only. He is being assisted by a number of officials. Periodically he undertakes a Visitation of the individual Houses, which affords the opportunity to discuss matters concerning the observance of the Rule of St Benedict, the Constitutions of the individual House and the Law of the Church. Nevertheless, he has no legal authority over them, since all EBC members are autonomous; his purpose is to promote their common good. Abbots coat of arms An abbot (from the Hebrew ab, a father, through the Syriac abba, Latin abbas (genitive form, abbatis), Old English abbad, ; German Abt; French abbé) is the head and chief governor of a community of monks, called also in the East hegumenos or The English version... Jump to: navigation, search St Benedict of Nursia (c. ...

External links

• Website of the EBC
• History of the EBC
• Religiosus Ordo (An Apostolic Letter from Leo XIII on 12 November 1889, outlining the history of the English Benedictine Congregation since the sixteenth century).

This article includes information from the Benedictine Yearbook 2005.