Four kilometers of swimming across the Strait of Messina, with a time close to the record. The protagonist is one of the Benedictine monks of Norcia, accompanied during the crossing by a boat on which the abbot, Father Benedetto Nivakoff, was also there to cheer him on.
The abbot’s testimony
It is the abbot of San Benedetto in Monte himself who recounts the feat in one of his reflections dedicated to the relationship between monastic life, physical exercise and the spiritual dimension. «His simple presence among the other swimmers – writes Nivakoff – was a silent testimony to the fact that healthy exercise of the body can be offered to God and used for his glory».
The «athletae Dei» and the Rule
The abbot recalls that in the tradition of the Desert Fathers the monks were defined as “athletae Dei”, athletes of God, and underlines how the Rule of Saint Benedict also calls for the need to “run as long as they have daylight”. In Norcia, he explains, the monks try to maintain a balance between prayer, work and physical activity, with weekly walks, longer outings every three months and support for those with particular athletic abilities.
The four new postulants
«Physical strength will never be enough», adds Nivakoff, however, recalling that the weakness of the body leads the monk towards a deeper spiritual awareness. In August the community also welcomed four new postulants, “desiring to undertake a new fight for God”.