The sister of St. Benedict, St. Scholastica consecrated herself to God as a virgin and lived not far from the monastery of Monte Cassino founded by her brother. In one of their annual visits together, St. Benedict refused to prolong the spiritual conversation which each year he allowed his sister in spite of St. Scholastica’s urgings. Her prayers obtained from heaven a violent storm and heavy rain which prevented her brother from leaving her; they remained together the whole night, speaking of heavenly things. Three days afterwards, St. Benedict saw the pure soul of his sister going up to heaven in the form of a dove. She died about the year 543.