Mariawald Abbey

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Mariawald Abbey
Mariawald Abbey

Mariawald Abbey is a monastery of the religious order of the "Cistercians of the Strict Observance", commonly known as "Trappists".[1] Its location is above the village of Heimbach, in the district of Düren in the Eifel, in the forests around Mount Kermeter, North Rhine-Westphalia,Germany.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

Founded in 1480 by Cistercians from Bottenbroich, and officially inaugurated on 4 April 1486, for centuries the monks took care of the Marienwallfahrt, a pilgrimage in honour of the Virgin Mary that developed around the cite of Heinrich Fluitter's vision of the Virgin Mary.[1][2]

In 1795 the monastery was closed as a result of the French Revolution and the monks were expelled. The image of the Virgin was relocated to Heimbach. From 1860 onwards the abbey was "recolonised" by monks from Oelenberg Abbey in Alsace, who also belonged to the Trappist order.[1][2]

From 1875 to 1887 the monks were exiled because of the Kulturkampf ("cultural conflict") with the new Imperial German government. In 1909, Mariawald was raised from that status of a monastery to that of an abbey.[1][2]

The monks had to leave the monastery for a third time under the Nazi regime during World War II, from 1941 to 1945. The monastery was again resettled in April 1945 (and largely rebuilt, because it had been seriously damaged by the war).[1][2] As of 2006, it is the only Trappist monastery in Germany,[3] with 14 monks living there as of 2006[4]

[edit] Life

The monks follow the Rule of St. Benedict and the constitution of the religious order of the "Cistercians of the Strict Observance".[5] Silent and/or choral prayer, physical work and theological reading ("Lectio divina") constitute the typical schedule of a monk, who lives a contemplative life in a quiet atmosphere.[citation needed] A typical day starts at 4:15am and ends at 8:00pm. Seven times a day the monks participate in the "hourly prayer" in the abbey church, which is open to visitors.[citation needed] Visitors can also stay a few days in the abbey's guesthouse, but the cloister of the monks cannot be visited.[4]

The abbey runs a tavern and bookshop. It also produces and sells liqueur.[2]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e (German) Geschichte, Abtei Mariawald official site. Accessed online 4 December 2006.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Trappist Info, a catalog of Trappist products. p. 26. Accessed online 4 December 2006.
  3. ^ (German) Home page, Herzlich willkommen in der Abtei Mariawald, Abtei Mariawald official site. Accessed online 4 December 2006.
  4. ^ a b (German) Herzlich willkommen in der Abtei Mariawald, Abtei Mariawald official site. Accessed online 4 December 2006.
  5. ^ (German) Unser orden, Abtei Mariawald official site. Accessed online 4 December 2006.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 50°37′N, 6°29′E