21 May 2025

In an atmosphere of shared tradition, Collegio Sant’Anselmo welcomed the Pontificio collegio greco, or Pontifical Greek College, for a celebration of Vespers in the Byzantine Rite on Sunday, 11 May. The gathering brought together 12 residents of the Greek College, accompanied by their rector, Archimandrite Maciej Pawlik OSB, marking another moment of fraternity between the two Benedictine institutions.

The invitation, extended by Abbot Primate Jeremias Schröder OSB — who also serves as the apostolic procurator of the Greek College — continued a recent exchange of liturgical hospitality. Earlier this year, on 13 March, members of the Sant’Anselmo community attended the First Vespers of the Byzantine feast of Saint Benedict the Righteous of Nursia, celebrated at the Greek College. These reciprocal visits underscore one of the broader missions of Sant’Anselmo: to foster unity within the diversity of the monastic world.

The Pontifical Greek College, located between the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo in Rome, has a long and distinguished history. Founded in 1576 by Pope Gregory XIII, the College was created to educate clergy in the Byzantine tradition for service in the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church and the Greek Catholic Churches of the East. It has since served as a hub of liturgical, theological and cultural formation, welcoming students from across the Eastern Catholic world and preserving the richness of the Byzantine heritage within the universal Church.

The evening Vespers, celebrated in Greek with its characteristically rich chant and iconographic symbolism, offered an opportunity for the residents of Sant’Anselmo to engage firsthand with the Eastern Benedictine expression of prayer. Such moments of shared liturgical life serve to deepen the spiritual and cultural literacy of monks preparing for leadership within the international Benedictine Confederation.

The celebration concluded with an informal supper. While the two Colleges are shaped by distinct rites, we are united by a common Benedictine identity and a shared commitment to formation, study and prayer in the heart of the Church. We extend our sincere thanks to the Pontifical Greek College for their visit, and we look forward to continued collaboration in service of Benedictine unity.