St. Benedict Medallion Tote Bag (Alzavola)

■ Medium: 9.8"T x 15.7”W x 5"D
■ Large: 11"T x 17.3"W x 6"D
■ Adjustable 11" Straps
■ Zippered Top Closure
■ Interior Pockets

Made from premium-quality imitation leather with a luxurious textured finish, this durable and eco-friendly tote bag offers long-lasting beauty. The spacious interior is lined with soft brushed polyester and includes multiple interior side pockets. The adjustable straps and secure zippered closure ensure ease of use and peace of mind on the go.

This is a couture item which is custom made-on-demand. Our couture collections feature exclusive, custom designs with our signature crown somewhere within the design. Not sold in stores and you won’t find this anywhere else. EXCLUSIVELY AT VENXARA.

Made-On-Demand Production Time: 5-7 working days
Ship Time: 6-12 days

These custom made-on-demand Tote Bags ship world-wide directly from our exceptional craftsmen in Quanzhou, China. Destination tracking is available for most countries. A tracking number will be emailed to you once your order has shipped.

Please Note: During peak shopping seasons, production and ship time may take a little longer than normal. If you are buying this item as a gift, please order as early as possible. We don't want to disappoint you or the gift recipient with a potentially delayed order.

For countries where tracking numbers are not available, this item should arrive by regular post within 2-4 weeks. Orders that have not arrived within 45 days of order processing are eligible for a free reshipment or a refund.

MATERIALS
These totes bag are made with a premium quality, textured imitation leather with a Saffiano Finish created by the luxury designer brand Prada. This vegan and eco friendly material is made with split leather (that’s the fibrous part of the hide left over from making genuine leather) which has been bonded with polyurethane. This material is extremely durable and the image will not fade, peel or flake. The interior lining is a soft, brushed polyester.

CARE
Your freshly made bag might arrive with a "new bag smell" (similar to a new car smell) that some people love and others do not. When you receive your bag, please unwrap it and allow the bag breathe for 24-48 hours to absorb the natural scents of its surroundings. To clean your handbag, use a soft, damp towel to wipe away any dust or dirt. You can use a mild soap or cleaning spray if needed. Please do not put this handbag in the washing machine.

ST. BENEDICT

480 — 547
Feast Days March 21 (Traditional) July 11 (New)
Patron Saint of Europe, students, fields, farmers, and protection against being poisoned and infectious diseases.

Benedict and his twin sister Scholastica (also a Saint) were born into a noble, Christian family in Nursia (modern day Norcia), Italy, in the 5th century AD. Benedict went to Rome for his studies, according to his father's wishes, as it was common during the time for children of noble or privileged families. Once he had reached his higher studies, Benedict grew weary of life in Rome. He found his companions' lives dissolute and immoral and he himself had been struck by love for a woman. He found his teachers unchristian and corrupt. All of these things led Benedict to abandon his studies in Rome to pursue a spiritual life.

He left Rome and spent time living as a hermit, in spiritual isolation, living in a cave. Upon the death of the abbot of a nearby monastery, Benedict, who was known by now for his sanctity, was asked to become their new abbot. The unworthy monks attempted to poison him and Benedict miraculously escaped harm and returned to his cave. The period that followed was full of growth.

Benedict built 12 monasteries in Subiaco and resided in the 13th as abbot. But his sacred path didn't end there, and along with his most devoted disciples Benedict left Subiaco for Cassino. It was there on the ancient summit where Benedict and his most faithful monks built the first abbey of Montecassino, among the ruins of an ancient pagan acropolis. Here he wrote the supremely influential and important "Rule" (known as the Rule of St. Benedict) and served as the young monastery's first abbot until his death.

The "Rule" is a simple set of guidelines for how the life of a monk should be lived and it has become one of the most influential works in all of Western Christendom.

Benedict devoted himself to evangelizing the local population who practiced pagan worship. Shortly before he died, Benedict saw the soul of his sister Scholastica rising to heaven in the form of a dove. This vision happened a few days after their last talk together at the foot of Montecassino. In a vision, Benedict saw the soul of Bishop Germanus of Capua taken by angels in a fire globe. These visions, for Saint Pope Gregory the Great, showed a close union between Benedict and God, a union so intense that the Saint was given the share of an even more magnificent vision, the whole of creation as gathered in a sunbeam.

In the end, a life so noble was justifiably followed by a much-glorified death. Benedict died on March 21, 547 AD. He foresaw his coming death, informing his close and faraway disciples that the end was near. Six days before dying, he had the grave which he was to share with his deceased sister, opened. Then, completely exhausted, he asked to be taken into his oratory where, after taking his last Holy Communion, he died supported by his monks.