Benedict & Scholastica

St. Benedict, founder of the rule for monastic life, is fairly well known (at least I Catholic circles), but did you know he had a twin sister?  Her name was Scholastica, and she is also a Saint.  Scholastica, like her brother, also dedicated her life to God from and early age.  She founded a monastery of nuns located not far from Benedict's monastery.  The brother and sister would meet once a year at a house (as the women were not permitted to enter the monks' monastery or vice versa).  On one occasion, she asked her brother to remain until the next day, but he did not want to spend the night away from his monastery.  She prayed, and a thunderstorm started so that neither Benedict, nor the monks that had accompanied him were able to leave, so they spent the night in spiritual discussion.  Three days later, Benedict had a vision of his sister's soul leaving the earth in the form of a shining white dove.  St. Scholastica's feast day is February 10.  (St. Benedict's is July 11).