Life of St Benedict, Scene 23: Benedict Drives the Devil out of a Stone
by SIGNORELLI, Luca, Fresco
Scene 23 of the cycle on the life of St Benedict depicts Benedict driving the devil out of a stone.
Some scenes of the cycle depicts the range of tasks that had to be accomplished to maintain the monastery’s self-sufficiency. Among these are the erection of churches and other buildings in accordance with the founder’s precepts - often delayed by interference from the archenemy Satan. The Evil One is omnipresent: in this scene he makes a stone so heavy that the monks are unable to raise it until Benedict comes to their aid.