After St. Benedict was proclaimed Patron Saint of Europe by Pope Paul VI, the ASBPE was founded in 1967 by bishops and abbots from various European countries, among whom were Abbot President Sighard Kleiner O. Cist. and Dom Jean Roy, Abbot of Notre-Dame de Fontgombault.

Followers of St. Benedict created a spiritual bond among different peoples, uniting them in a common Christian civilization. St.Benedict’s famous Rule, written around 545 and praised by Pope Gregory the Great, is still very pertinent today.