The Order of Cistercians (OCist; Latin: Cistercienses), sometimes called the White Monks (from the colour of the habit, over which a black scapular or apron is sometimes worn) is a Roman Catholic religious order of enclosed monks. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a Religious order. For the shoulder bone see the article Scapula. A scapular (from Latin scapula, shoulder is a length of Religious orders ('Religious Institutes' cf canons 573-746 are the major form of consecrated life in the Roman Catholic Church. Enclosed religious orders of the Christian church have solemn vows with a strict separation from the affairs of the external world MONK is a Monte Carlo software package for simulating nuclear processes particularly for the purpose of determining the neutron multiplication factor or k-effective The first Cistercian abbey was founded by Robert of Molesme in 1098, at Cîteaux Abbey. An abbey (from Latin abbatia derived from Syriac abba "father" is a Christian Monastery or Saint Robert of Molesme (c 1028 &ndash 1111 was a Christian Saint and Abbot, one of the founders of the Cistercian Order in France Cîteaux Abbey (French Abbaye de Cîteaux) is a Roman Catholic Abbey located in Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux, south of Dijon, Two others, Saint Alberic of Citeaux and Saint Stephen Harding, are considered co-founders of the order, and Bernard of Clairvaux is associated with the fast spread of the order during the 12th century. Saint Alberic of Citeaux (died January 26, 1108) also known as Alberic of Aubrey, was a Christian Saint and Abbot Saint Stephen Harding (died March 28, 1134) is a Christian Saint and monastic Abbot, one of the founders of the Cistercian Bernard of Clairvaux, OCist ( 1090 - August 20, 1153) was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian monastic order

The keynote of Cistercian life was a return to a literal observance of the Rule of St Benedict, rejecting the developments the Benedictines had undergone, and tried to reproduce the life exactly as it had been in Saint Benedict's time, indeed in various points they went beyond it in austerity. Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in "Saint Benedict" redirects here This article is about the founder of Western monasticism for other saints named Benedict see Benedict. The most striking feature in the reform was the return to manual labour, and especially to field-work, which became a special characteristic of Cistercian life. The Cistercians became the main force of technological diffusion in medieval Europe.

The Cistercians were badly affected by the Protestant Reformation, the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII, the French Revolution, and the revolutions of the 18th century, but some survived and the order recovered in the 19th century. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the formal process between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system In 1892 certain abbeys formed a new Order called Trappists (Ordo Cisterciensium Strictioris Observantiae - OCSO), which today exists as an order distinct from the Common Observance. Trappist redirects here This article is about the Cistercian order

Contents 1 History 1.1 Foundation 1.2 Polity 1.3 Spread: 1111—1152 1.4 Construction of abbeys 1.5 Monastic life and technological diffusion 1.6 Later History 2 After the Protestant Reformation 3 Cistercians today 3.1 Organisation 3.2 Monastic life 4 Legacy 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 External links 8.1 Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists) 8.2 Order of Cistercians Common Observance 8.3 Abbeys

History

Foundation

In 1098 a band of 21 Cluniac monks left their abbey of Molesme in Burgundy and followed their Abbot, Robert of Molesme (1027–1111), to establish a new monastery. Molesme is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France. Burgundy (Bourgogne Burgund is a region historically situated in modern-day France and Switzerland, inhabited in turn by Celts ( Gauls) Saint Robert of Molesme (c 1028 &ndash 1111 was a Christian Saint and Abbot, one of the founders of the Cistercian Order in France The group was looking to cultivate a monastic community in which monks could carry out their lives in stricter observance of the Rule of St Benedict. On March 21, 1098, the small faction acquired a plot of marsh land just south of Dijon called Cîteaux (Latin: "Cistercium"), given to them expressly for the purpose of founding their Novum Monasterium. Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. In Geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of Wetland which is subject Dijon ( diʒɔ̃ is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or departement and of the Bourgogne region Cîteaux Abbey (French Abbaye de Cîteaux) is a Roman Catholic Abbey located in Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux, south of Dijon, ^[1]

During the first year the monks set about constructing lodging areas and farmed the lands. In the interim, there was a small chapel nearby which they used for Mass. Soon the monks in Molesme began petitioning Pope Urban II to return their abbot to them. Pope The case was passed down to Archbishop Hugues who passed the issue on down to the local bishops. In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated Bishop. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and others this means that they lead Robert was then instructed to return to his position as abbot in Molesme, where he remained for the rest of his days. A good number of the monks who helped found Cîteaux returned with him to Molesme, so that only a few remained. The remaining monks elected Prior Alberic as their abbot, under whose leadership the abbey would find its grounding. Saint Alberic of Citeaux (died January 26, 1108) also known as Alberic of Aubrey, was a Christian Saint and Abbot Robert had been the idealist of the order, and Alberic was their builder.

Upon assuming the role of abbot, Alberic moved the site of the fledgling community near a brook a short distance away from the original site. Alberic discontinued the use of Benedictine black garments in the abbey and clothed the monks in white cowls (undyed wool). Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in He returned the community to the original Benedictine ideal of work and prayer, dedicated to the ideal of charity and self sustenance. Alberic also forged an alliance with the Dukes of Burgundy, working out a deal with Duke Odo the donation of a vineyard (Meursault) as well as stones with which they built their church. Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which For the king of the Franks (888 - 898 please see Odo Count of Paris. Meursault is also the name of the main character in Albert Camus ' novel The Stranger Meursault is a commune in the The church was sanctified and dedicated to The Virgin Mary on November 16, 1106 by the Bishop of Chalon sur Saône. Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published The former French Catholic diocese of Chalon-sur-Saône existed until the French Revolution. ^[2]

On January 26, 1108 Alberic died and was soon succeeded by Stephen Harding, the man responsible for carrying the order into its crucial phase. Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. Saint Stephen Harding (died March 28, 1134) is a Christian Saint and monastic Abbot, one of the founders of the Cistercian Stephen created the Cistercian constitution, called Carta Caritatis (the Charter of Charity). Stephen also acquired farms for the abbey in order to ensure its survival and ethic, the first of which was Clos Vougeot. Clos Vougeot is named for the River Vouge, which is in fact only a stream separating Vougeot from Chambolle-Musigny. He handed over the west wing of the monastery to a large group of lay brethren to cultivate the farms.

Polity

The lines of the Cistercian polity were adumbrated by Alberic, but it received its final form at a meeting of the abbots in the time of Stephen Harding, when was drawn up the Carta Caritatis,^[3][4] a document which arranged the relations between the various houses of the Cistercian order, and exercised a great influence also upon the future course of western monachism. Saint Stephen Harding (died March 28, 1134) is a Christian Saint and monastic Abbot, one of the founders of the Cistercian Monasticism (from Greek μοναχός, monachos, derived from Greek monos, alone is the religious practice in which one From one point of view, it may be regarded as a compromise between the primitive Benedictine system, in which each abbey was autonomous and isolated, and the complete centralization of Cluny, where the abbot of Cluny was the only true superior in the body. The Abbey of Cluny (or Cluni, or Clugny, pronunciation klyˈni is an abbey in France. The Abbot of Cluny was the head of the powerful monastery of Cluny Abbey in medieval France.

On the one hand, Citeaux maintained the independent organic life of the houses: each abbey had its own abbot elected by its own monks, its own community belonging to itself and not to the order in general, and its own property and finances administered without interference from outside. On the other hand, all the abbeys were subjected to the general chapter, which met yearly at Cîteaux and consisted of the abbots only. Cîteaux Abbey (French Abbaye de Cîteaux) is a Roman Catholic Abbey located in Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux, south of Dijon, The abbot of Cîteaux was the president of the chapter and of the order, and the visitor of each and every house. He had a predominant influence and the power of enforcing everywhere exact conformity to Cîteaux in all details of the exterior life observance, chant, and customs. The principle was that Cîteaux should always be the model to which all the other houses had to conform. In case of any divergence of view at the chapter, the side taken by the abbot of Cîteaux was always to prevail. ^[5]

Spread: 1111—1152

By 1111 the ranks had grown sufficiently at Cîteaux, and Stephen sent a group of 12 monks to start a "daughter house", a new community dedicated to the same ideals of the strict observance of Saint Benedict. It was built in Chalon sur Saône in La Ferté on May 13, 1113. ^[6] Also in 1113, Bernard of Clairvaux arrived at Cîteaux with 30 others to join the monastery. Bernard of Clairvaux, OCist ( 1090 - August 20, 1153) was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian monastic order In 1114 another daughter house was founded, Pontigny Abbey. Pontigny Abbey, founded in 1114 as the second of the four great daughter houses of Cîteaux Abbey, was a Cistercian monastery situated on the River Serein Then, in 1115 Bernard founded Clairvaux, followed by Morimond in the same year. Clairvaux Abbey ( Clara Vallis in Latin a Cistercian Monastery, was founded in 1115 by St Morimond Abbey, situated in the present Parnoy-en-Bassigny, Haute-Marne department in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, was the fourth Later, Preuilly, La Cour-Dieu, Bouras, Cadouin and Fontenay were established. The Abbey of Fontenay is a former Cistercian Abbey located in the commune of Montbard Marmagne ?--> in the département

In November 1128, with the aid of William Giffard, Bishop of Winchester, Waverly Abbey was founded in Surrey, England. William Giffard was the Lord Chancellor of England of William II and Henry I, from 1093 to 1101 See also List of bishops of Winchester The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England Waverley Abbey was the first Cistercian Abbey in England, founded in 1128 by William Giffard, Bishop of Winchester Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland ^[7] Five houses were founded from Waverly Abbey before 1152, and some of these had themselves produced offshoots. ^[7] Thirteen Cistercian monasteries, all in remote sites, were founded in Wales between 1131 and 1226. ^[8] The first of these was Tintern Abbey, which was sited in a remote river valley, and depended largely on its agricultural and pastoral activities for survival. Tintern Abbey ( Abaty Tyndyrn) was founded by Walter de Clare Lord of Chepstow, on May 9, 1131. ^[8]

In Yorkshire, Rievaulx Abbey was founded from Clairvaux in 1131, on a small property "in a place of horror and dreary solitude". Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Rievaulx Abbey is a former Cistercian Abbey, headed by the Abbot of Rievaulx, located in the small village of Rievaulx (pronounced 'Ree-voh' ^[7] This land was donated by Walter Espec, with the support of Thurstan, Archbishop of York. Walter Espec (died 1153 was a prominent military and judicial figure of the reign of Henry I of England. Thurstan, or Turstin (c 1070&ndash6 February 1140 was a medieval Archbishop of York. The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. ^[7] By 1143, three hundred monks had entered Rievaulx, including the famous St Ælred, who became known as the "St Bernard of England". Ailred (or Aelred) Abbot of Rievaulx ( 1110 - 12 January 1167) was an English Christian Saint ^[7] From Rievaulx was founded Melrose Abbey, the earliest Cistercian monastery in Scotland. Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style Abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian Monks on the request Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. ^[9] Located in Roxburghshire, it was built in 1136 by King David I of Scotland, and completed in less than ten years. Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a Registration county of Scotland. David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim ( Modern: Daibhidh I mac Chaluim; b ^[9] Another important offshoot of Rievaulx was Revesby Abbey in Lincolnshire. Revesby Abbey was a Cistercian monastery located near the village of Revesby in Lincolnshire, England Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs) is a county in the east of England. ^[7]

Fountains abbey was founded in 1132 by Benedictine monks from St Mary's Abbey, York, who desired a return to the austere Rule of St Benedict. Tintern Abbey ( Abaty Tyndyrn) was founded by Walter de Clare Lord of Chepstow, on May 9, 1131. Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire, England, is a Ruined Cistercian Monastery, founded in 1132 The Abbey of St Mary in York, England, is a ruined Benedictine abbey that lies in what are now the Yorkshire Museum Gardens, to the west ^[7] After many struggles and great hardships, St Bernard agreed to send a monk from Clairvaux to instruct them, and in the end they prospered exceedingly. ^[7] Before 1152, Fountains had many offshoots, of which Newminster Abbey (1137) and Meaux Abbey (1151) are the most famous. Newminster Abbey was a Cistercian abbey in the north of England. Meaux Abbey was a Cistercian Abbey founded in 1151 by William le Gros 1st Earl of Albemarle and Count of Aumale the fourth Lord of Holderness ^[7]

In the spring of 1140, St Malachy, Archbishop of Armagh, visited Clairvaux, becoming a personal friend of St Bernard and an admirer of the Cistercian rule. St Malachy or Máel Máedóc Ua Morgair ( Modern Irish: Maelmhaedhoc Ó Morgair; 1094 - November 2, 1148) was the The Archdiocese of Armagh ( Latin: Archidioecesis Ardmachana; Irish: Ard-Deoise Ard Mhacha) was founded by St ^[10] He left four of his companions to be trained as Cistercians, and returned to Ireland to introduce Cistercianism there. ^[10] St Bernard viewed the Irish at this time as being in the "depth of barbarism":

"never had he found men so shameful in their morals, so wild in their rites, so impious in their faith, so barbarous in their laws, so stubborn in discipline, so unclean in their life. They were Christians in name, in fact they were pagans. "^[11]

Mellifont Abbey was founded in County Louth in 1142. Mellifont Abbey ( Irish: An Mhainistir Mhór, literally "the big abbey" located in County Louth, was the first Cistercian County Louth (Contae Lú is a County on the East coast of Ireland, on the border with Northern Ireland. Thence were founded the affiliated monasteries of Bective Abbey in Meath (1147), Inishlounaght in Tipperary (1147-1148), Baltinglass in Wicklow (1148), Monasteranenagh in Limerick (1148), and Kilbeggan in Westmeath (1150). Bective Abbey (Mainistir Bheigthí) is a Cistercian Abbey on the River Boyne in County Meath, in Ireland. Tipperary ( Irish: Tiobraid Árann, lit "The well of Arra" is the name of a town (pop 4546 in the south-west of County Tipperary, Ireland Wicklow ( is the County seat of County Wicklow in Ireland. Located south of the capital Dublin on the east coast of the island it has a population Limerick (pronounced /ˈlɪmrɪk/ Luimneach in Irish) is a city and the county seat of County Limerick in the Province of Munster County Westmeath (Contae na hIarmhí is a County situated in the Irish midlands, also popularly called the "Lake county" in the western part of the province ^[12] Malachy's intensive pastoral activity was highly successful:

"Barbarous laws disappeared, Roman laws were introduced: everywhere ecclesiastical customs were received and the contrary rejected… In short all things were so changed that the word of the Lord may be applied to this people: Which before was not my people, now is my people. "^[13]

Meanwhile, the Cistercian influence in the Church more than kept pace with this material expansion, so that in 1145, St Bernard saw one of his monks ascend the papal chair as Pope Eugene III. Pope A great reinforcement to the order was the merger of the Savigniac houses with the Cistercians, at the instance of Eugene III. The Catholic Congregation of Savigny ( Savigniac Order) started in the Abbey of Savigny, situated in northern France, on the confines of Normandy ^[7] Thirteen English abbeys, of which the most famous were Furness Abbey and Jervaulx Abbey, thus adopted the Cistercian rule. Furness Abbey, or St Mary of Furness is a former Cistercian Monastery situated on the outskirts of the Cumbrian town Barrow-in-Furness Jervaulx Abbey in East Witton near the city of Ripon, was one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire, England, founded in ^[7] In Dublin, the two Savigniac houses of Erenagh and St Mary's became Cistercian. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. ^[12] It was in the latter case that medieval Dublin acquired a Cistercian monastery in the very unusual suburban location of Oxmantown, with its own private harbour called The Pill. Oxmantown ( is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, situated on the Northside of the city between the River Liffey, the North Circular Road and Smithfield Market ^[14]

By 1152, there were fifty-four Cistercian monasteries in England, some few of which, like the beautiful Tintern Abbey on the Wye, had been founded directly from the Continent. Tintern Abbey ( Abaty Tyndyrn) was founded by Walter de Clare Lord of Chepstow, on May 9, 1131. ^[7] Overall, there were 333 Cistercian abbeys in Europe 1152 — so many that a halt was put to this expansion. ^[15]

Nearly half of the houses had been founded, directly or indirectly, from Clairvaux, so great was St Bernard's influence and prestige. Indeed he has come almost to be regarded as the founder of the Cistercians, who have often been called Bernardines. From this solid base the order spread all over western Europe; into Germany, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Croatia, Italy (where the Certosa di Pavia is their most famous edifice), Sicily, Poland, Hungary, Romania (Kerz), Norway, Sweden, Spain and Portugal (where some of the houses, like the Monastery of Alcobaça, were of almost incredible magnificence). Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Moravia (Morava; Morawy Moravie Moravia is a historical region in central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, one of the former Czech lands. Etymology One theory claims that the name Silesia is derived from the Silingi, who were most likely a Vandalic (East Germanic people Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Certosa di Pavia or Charterhouse of Pavia (built c 1396 - 1465) is a famous Monastery complex in Lombardy, Italy Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Cârţa may refer to several places in Romania: Cârţa, a commune in Harghita County Cârţa, a commune in Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Alcobaça Monastery (Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça is a Mediaeval Monastery located in the town of Alcobaça, in central Portugal One of the most important libraries of the Cistercians was in Salem, Germany. A library is a collection of information sources resources and services and the structure in which it is housed it is organized for use and maintained by a public body an institution Salem Abbey ( Kloster or Reichskloster Salem) also known as Salmansweiler and in Latin as Salomonis Villa, was a very prominent By the end of the 13th century, the Cistercian houses numbered 500. ^[16] At the order's height in the 15th century, it would have nearly 750 houses.

Construction of abbeys

Architecturally speaking the Cistercian monasteries and churches, owing to their pure style, may be counted among the most beautiful relics of the Middle Ages. The Abbey of Fontenay is a former Cistercian Abbey located in the commune of Montbard Marmagne ?--> in the département ^[7] The building projects of the Church at this time showed an ambition for the colossal, with vast amounts of stone being quarried, and the same was true of the Cistercian projects. ^[17] Foigny Abbey was 98 metres (320 ft) long, and Vaucelles Abbey was 132 metres (430 ft) long. ^[17] Monastic buildings came to be constructed entirely of stone, right down to the most humble of buildings. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Cistercian barns consisted of a stone exterior, divided into nave and aisles either by wooden posts or by stone piers. ^[18]

The Cistercians acquired a reputation in the difficult task of administering the building sites for abbeys and cathedrals. ^[19] St Bernard's own brother, Achard, is known to have supervised the construction of many abbeys, such as Himmerod Abbey in the Rhineland. Achard is a Surname, and may refer to Achard of St Victor (died 1172 French bishop Antoine Achard (1696-1772 Swiss Protestant Himmerod Abbey ( Kloster Himmerod) is a Cistercian monastery in the community of Großlittgen in the Verbandsgemeinde of Manderscheid The Rhineland ( Rheinland in German) is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. ^[19] Others were Raoul at Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes, who later became abbot there; Geoffrey d'Aignay, sent to Fountains Abbey in 1133; and Robert, sent to Mellifont Abbey in 1142. Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes is a Village and commune in the Deux-Sèvres département of western France. ^[19] On one occasion the Abbot of La Trinité at Vendôme loaned a monk named John to the Bishop of Le Mans, Hildebert de Lavardin, for the building of a cathedral; after the project was completed, John refused to return to his monastery. Vendôme is a commune of north-central France. Administration Vendôme is the capital of the Arrondissement of Vendôme in the Hildebert of Lavardin or Hildebert of Tours (c 1055&ndash December 18, 1133) was a French writer and ecclesiastic This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral ^[19]

The Cistercians "made it a point of honour to recruit the best stonecutters", and as early as 1133, St Bernard was hiring workers to help the monks erect new buildings at Clairvaux. ^[20] It is from the 12th century Byland Abbey in Yorkshire that the oldest recorded example of architectural tracing dates is found. Byland Abbey is a ruined abbey and a small village in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England at. ^[21] Tracings were architectural drawings painted in stone, to a depth of 2-3 mm, showing architectural detail to scale. ^[21] The first tracing in Byland illustrates a west rose window, while the second depicts the central part of that same window. A Rose window (or Catherine window) is often used as a generic term applied to a circular Window, but is especially used for those found in churches ^[21] Later, an illustration from the latter half of the 16th century would show monks working alongside other craftsmen in the construction of Schönau Abbey. Schönau Abbey ( Kloster Schönau) in Schönau in the Odenwald, in the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis in Baden-Württemberg, was a Cistercian ^[20]

Monastic life and technological diffusion

The keynote of Cistercian life was a return to a literal observance of St Benedict's rule: how literal may be seen from the controversy between St. Bernard and Peter the Venerable, abbot of Cluny. Peter the Venerable (about 1092 – December 25, 1156 in Cluny, France) also known as Peter of Montboissier, abbot of The town and commune of Cluny or Clugny lies in the modern-day département of Saône-et-Loire in the région ^[22] The Cistercians rejected alike all mitigations and all developments, and tried to reproduce the life exactly as it had been in St Benedict's time, indeed in various points they went beyond it in austerity. At the beginning they renounced all sources of income arising from benefices, tithes, tolls and rents, and depended for their income wholly on the land. A tithe (from Old English teogoþa "tenth" is a one-tenth part of something paid as a (usually voluntary contribution or as a Tax or levy The most striking feature in the reform was the return to manual labour, and especially to field-work, which became a special characteristic of Cistercian life.

To make time for this work they cut away the accretions to the divine office which had been steadily growing during three centuries, and which in Cluny and the other Benedictine monasteries had come to exceed greatly in length the regular canonical office: one only of these accretions did they retain, the daily recitation of the Office of the Dead. ^[23]

It was as agriculturists and horse and cattle breeders that, after the first blush of their success and before a century had passed, the Cistercians exercised their chief influence on the progress of civilisation in the later Middle Ages: they were the great farmers of those days, and many of the improvements in the various farming operations were introduced and propagated by them, and this is where the importance of their extension in northern Europe is to be estimated. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family They developed an organised system for selling their farm produce, cattle and horses, and notably contributed to the commercial progress of the countries of western Europe. To the wool and cloth trade, which was especially fostered by the Cistercians, England was largely indebted for the beginnings of her commercial prosperity. ^[7]

Farming operations on so extensive a scale could not be carried out by the monks alone, whose choir and religious duties took up a considerable portion of their time; and so from the beginning the system of lay brothers was introduced on a large scale. In the most common usage lay brothers are those members of Catholic Religious orders particularly of monastic orders occupied primarily with manual labor and with The lay brothers were recruited from the peasantry and were simple uneducated men, whose function consisted in carrying out the various fieldworks and plying all sorts of useful trades: they formed a body of men who lived alongside of the choir monks, but separate from them, not taking part in the canonical office, but having their own fixed round of prayer and religious exercises. Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate with a Deity or spirit They were never ordained, and never held any office of superiority. It was by this system of lay brothers that the Cistercians were able to play their distinctive part in the progress of European civilisation.

According to the medievalist Jean Gimpel, their high level of industrial technology facilitated the diffusion of new techniques: "Every monastery had a model factory, often as large as the church and only several feet away, and waterpower drove the machinery of the various industries located on its floor. "^[24] Waterpower was used for crushing wheat, sieving flour, fulling cloth and tanning — a "level of technological achievement [that] could have been observed in practically all" of the Cistercian monasteries. ^[25]

In Spain, one of the earliest surviving Cistercian houses - the Real Monasterio de Nuestra Senora de Rueda in the Aragon region - is a good example of early hydrologic engineering, using a large waterwheel for power and an elaborate hydrological circulation system for central heating. Real Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de Rueda (Royal Monastery of Our Lady of the Wheel is an early Cistercian monastery in the Aragon region of Spain. Aragon ( Spanish: "Aragón") is an autonomous community of Spain. Hydrology (from Greek Yδωρ hudōr, "water" and λόγος logos, "study" is the study of the movement distribution and quality of A water wheel is a means of extracting power from the flow (or fall of water otherwise known as Hydropower. For the Grand Central Records albums see Central Heating (Grand Central album and Central Heating 2.

The Cistercians are known to have been skilled metallurgists, and knowledge of their technological advances was transmitted by the order. Metallurgy is a domain of Materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their ^[26] Iron ore deposits were often donated to the monks along with forges to extract the iron, and within time surpluses were being offered for sale. The Cistercians became the leading iron producers in Champagne, France, from the mid-13th century to the 17th century, also using the phosphate-rich slag from their furnaces as an agricultural fertiliser. Champagne is a historic province in the northeast of France, best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. A phosphate, an Inorganic chemical, is a salt of Phosphoric acid. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Fertilizers ( also spelt fertiliser are chemical compounds given to Plants to promote growth they are usually applied either through the soil for uptake by plant ^[27] As the historian Alain Erlande-Brandenburg writes:

"The quality of Cistercian architecture from the 1120s onwards is related directly to the Order's technological inventiveness. They placed importance on metal, both the extraction of the ore and its subsequent processing. At the abbey of Fontenay the forge is not outside, as one might expect, but inside the monastic enclosure: metalworking was thus part of the activity of the monks and not of the lay brothers. This spirit accounted for the progress that appeared in spheres other than building, and particularly in agriculture.

"It is probable that this experiment spread rapidly; Gothic architecture cannot be understood otherwise. See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. "^[28]

Later History

The first Cistercian abbey in Bohemia was founded in Sedlec near Kutná Hora in 1158. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Kutná Hora ( pronounced; medieval Czech: Hory Kutné; Kuttenberg is a City in the Czech Republic in the Central Bohemian Region In the late 13th and early 14th centuries, the Cistercian order played an essential role in the politics and diplomacy of the late Přemyslid and early Luxembourg state, as reflected in the Chronicon Aulae Regiae, a chronicle written by Otto and Peter of Zittau, abbots of the Zbraslav abbey (Latin: Aula Regia, ie, Royal Hall; today situated on the southern outskirts of Prague), founded in 1292 by the king of Bohemia and Poland, Wenceslas II. The Přemyslids ( Czech: Přemyslovci, Polish: Przemyślidzi, German: Premysliden) were a Czech royal dynasty which Zittau ( Czech Žitava) is a city in the south east of the Free State of Saxony, Germany, close to the border triangle between Germany Zbraslav (ˈzbraslaf Königsaal is a municipal district and cadastral area of Prague. Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Wenceslaus II Premyslid (Václav II Wacław II Czeski September 27, 1271 &ndash June 21, 1305) was King of Bohemia (1278 - 1305 The order also played the main role in the early Gothic art of Bohemia; one of the outstanding pieces of Cistercian architecture is the Alt-neu Shul, Prague. This article is about Gothic art See also Gothic architecture Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that lasted about 200 Cistercian architecture is a style of architecture headed by Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux, France, who in the year 1124 led the Cistercians The Old New Synagogue (Altneuschule Altneusynagoge Staronová Synagoga situated in Josefov, Prague, is Europe's oldest active Synagogue.

It often happened that the number of lay brothers became excessive and out of proportion to the resources of the monasteries, there being sometimes as many as 200, or even 300, in a single abbey. On the other hand, at any rate in some countries, the system of lay brothers in course of time worked itself out; thus in England by the close of the 14th century it had shrunk to relatively small proportions, and in the 15th century the régime of the English Cistercian houses tended to approximate more and more to that of the Black Monks. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This article concerns Roman Catholic Order of Saint Benedict see also Benedictine Confederation and Benedictine.

For a hundred years, till the first quarter of the 13th century, the Cistercians supplanted Cluny as the most powerful order and the chief religious influence in western Europe. But then in turn their influence began to wane, chiefly, no doubt, because of the rise of the mendicant orders, who ministered more directly to the needs and ideas of the new age. The mendicant orders are religious orders which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood But some of the reasons of Cistercian decline were internal.

In the first place, there was the permanent difficulty of maintaining in its first fervour a body embracing hundreds of monasteries and thousands of monks, spread all over Europe; and as the Cistercian very raison d'être consisted in its being a reform, a return to primitive monachism, with its field-work and severe simplicity, any failures to live up to the ideal proposed worked more disastrously among Cistercians than among mere Benedictines, who were intended to live a life of self-denial, but not of great austerity.

Relaxations were gradually introduced in regard to diet and to simplicity of life, and also in regard to the sources of income, rents and tolls being admitted and benefices incorporated, as was done among the Benedictines; the farming operations tended to produce a commercial spirit; wealth and splendour invaded many of the monasteries, and the choir monks abandoned field-work. This article is primarily about the human diet For a discussion of animal diets see List of feeding behaviours.

The later history of the Cistercians is largely one of attempted revivals and reforms. The general chapter for long battled bravely against the invasion of relaxations and abuses.

The English Reformation was disastrous for the Cistercians in England, as Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries saw the confiscation of church land throughout the country. The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th century England by which the Church of England first broke away from the authority of the Pope Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the formal process between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded Laskill, an outstation of Rievaulx Abbey and the only medieval blast furnace so far identified in Great Britain, was the one of the most efficient blast furnaces of its time. Laskill is a small hamlet situated 5 Miles (8 Kilometres north-west of Helmsley, North Yorkshire, England, on the road from Rievaulx Abbey is a former Cistercian Abbey, headed by the Abbot of Rievaulx, located in the small village of Rievaulx (pronounced 'Ree-voh' See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands ^[29] Slag from contemporary furnaces contained a substantial concentration of iron, whereas the slag of Laskill was low in iron content, and is believed to have produced cast iron with efficiency similar to a modern blast furnace. Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but identifies a large group of Ferrous Alloys which solidify with a Eutectic. ^[30][29] The monks may have been on the verge of building dedicated furnaces for the production of cast iron,^[29] but the furnace did not survive Henry's Dissolution in the late 1530s, and the type of blast furnace pioneered there did not spread outside Rievaulx. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of ^[31] Some historians believe that the suppression of the English monasteries may have stamped out an industrial revolution. ^[29]

After the Protestant Reformation

In 1335, Pope Benedict XII, himself a Cistercian, had promulgated a series of regulations to restore the primitive spirit of the order, and in the 15th century various popes endeavoured to promote reforms. Pope Benedict XII (died April 25, 1342) born Jacques Fournier, was Pope from 1334 to 1342 Pope Benedict XII (died April 25, 1342) born Jacques Fournier, was Pope from 1334 to 1342 All these efforts at a reform of the great body of the order proved unavailing; but local reforms, producing various semi-independent offshoots and congregations, were successfully carried out in many parts in the course of the 15th and 16th centuries.

In the 17th another great effort at a general reform was made, promoted by the pope and the king of France; the general chapter elected Richelieu (commendatory) abbot of Cîteaux, thinking he would protect them from the threatened reform. This article is about a cardinal For information on the Russian also called The Red Eminence, see Mikhail Andreyevich Suslov. In this they were disappointed, for he threw himself wholly on the side of reform. So great, however, was the resistance, and so serious the disturbances that ensued, that the attempt to reform Cîteaux itself and the general body of the houses had again to be abandoned, and only local projects of reform could be carried out.

In the 16th century had arisen the reformed congregation of the Feuillants, which spread widely in France and Italy, in the latter country under the name of Improved Bernardines. The French congregation of Sept-Fontaines (1654) also deserves mention. In 1663 de Rancé reformed La Trappe (see Trappists). Trappist redirects here This article is about the Cistercian order

The Reformation, the ecclesiastical policy of Joseph II, the French Revolution, and the revolutions of the 18th century, almost wholly destroyed the Cistercians; but some survived, and since the beginning of the last half of the 19th century there has been a considerable recovery. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Mahatma Gandhi visited a Trappist abbey near Durban in 1895, and wrote an extensive description of the order:

"The settlement is a quiet little model village, owned on the truest republican principles. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January Durban (eThekwini is the third most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the EThekwini metropolitan municipality. Republicanism is the Ideology of governing a nation as a Republic, with an emphasis on Liberty, Rule of law, Popular sovereignty The principle of liberty, equality, and fraternity is carried out in its entirety. Liberty, the freedom to act or believe without being stopped by unnecessary force Every man is a brother, every woman a sister. The monks number about 120 on the settlement, and the nuns, or the sisters as they are called, number about sixty… None may keep any money for private use. All are equally rich or poor…

"A Protestant clergyman said to his audience that Roman Catholics were weakly, sickly, and sad. Well, if the Trappists are any criterion of what a Roman Catholic is, they are, on the contrary, healthy and cheerful. Wherever we went, a beaming smile and a lowly bow greeted us, we saw a brother or a sister. Even while the guide was decanting on the system he prized so much, he did not at all seem to consider the self-chosen discipline a hard yoke to bear. A better instance of undying faith and perfect implicit obedience could not well be found anywhere else. "

At the beginning of 20th century they were divided into three bodies:

• The Common Observance, with about 30 monasteries and 800 choir monks, the large majority being in Austria-Hungary; they represent the main body of the order and follow a mitigated rule of life; they do not carry on field-work, but have large secondary schools, and are in manner of life little different from fairly observant Benedictine Black Monks; of late, however, signs are not wanting of a tendency towards a return to older ideals;
• The Middle Observance, embracing some dozen monasteries and about 150 choir monks;
• The Strict Observance, or Trappists, with nearly 60 monasteries, about 1600 choir monks and 2000 lay brothers. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Trappist redirects here This article is about the Cistercian order

There has also always been a large number of Cistercian nuns; the first nunnery was founded in the diocese of Langres, 1125; at the period of their widest extension there are said to have been 900 nunneries, and the communities were very large. The nuns were devoted to contemplation and also did field-work. A Nun is a Woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life In Spain and France certain Cistercian abbesses had extraordinary privileges. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. An abbess ( Latin abbatissa fem form of abbas Abbot) is the female superior, or Mother Superior, of an Abbey Numerous reforms took place among the nuns. The best known of all Cistercian convents was probably Port-Royal, reformed by Angélique Arnaud, and associated with the story of the Jansenist controversy. A convent is a community of Priests religious brothers religious sisters or Nuns or the building used by the community particularly in the Roman Catholic Church The Convent of Port-Royal was built in Paris in 1626 as an off-shoot of Port-Royal-des-Champs, the stronghold of Jansenist thought in France Jansenism was a branch of Catholic Gallican thought which arose in the frame of the Counter-Reformation and the aftermath of the Council of Trent

Cistercians today

Organisation

Cistercian monasteries have continued to spread, with many founded outside Europe in the 20th century. In particular, the number of Trappist monasteries throughout the world has more than doubled over the past 60 years: from 82 in 1940 to 127 in 1970, and 169 at the beginning of the 21st century. ^[32] In 1940, there were six Trappist monasteries in Asia and the Pacific, only one Trappist monastery in Africa, and none in Latin America. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions ^[32] Now there are 13 in Central and South America, 17 in Africa, and 23 in Asia and the Pacific. ^[32] In general, these communities are growing faster than those in other parts of the world. ^[32]

Over the same period, the total number of monks and nuns in the Order decreased by about 15%. ^[32] There are approximately 2500 Trappist monks and 1800 Trappist nuns in the world today. ^[32] There are on average 25 members per community - less than half those in former times. ^[32] As of 2005, there are 101 monasteries of monks and 70 of nuns. ^[33] Of these, there are twelve monasteries of monks and five of nuns in the United States. ^[33]

The abbots and abbesses of each branch meet every three years at the Mixed General Meeting, chaired by the Abbot General, to make decisions concerning the welfare of the Order. ^[33] Between these meetings the Abbot General and his Council, who reside in Rome, are in charge of the Order's affairs. ^[33] The present Abbot General is Dom Bernardo Olivera of Azul, Argentina. Azul is the head city of the Azul Partido, located at the center of the Buenos Aires Province in Argentina, 300 km south of Buenos Aires ^[33]

Monastic life

At the time of monastic profession, five or six years after entering the monastery, candidates promise "conversion" — fidelity to monastic life, which includes an atmosphere of silence. For Profession of faith (public avowal of faith according to a traditional formula see Creed. ^[34] Cistercian monks and nuns, in particular Trappists, have a reputation of being silent, which has led to the public idea that they take a Vow of silence. ^[34] This has actually never been the case, although silence is an implicit part of an outlook shared by Cistercian and Benedictine monasteries. ^[34] In a Cistercian monastery, there are three reasons for speaking:

functional communication at work or in community dialogues, spiritual exchange with one’s superiors or with a particular member of the community on different aspects of one’s personal life, and spontaneous conversation on special occasions. These forms of communication are integrated into the discipline of maintaining a general atmosphere of silence, which is an important help to continual prayer. ^[34]

Many Cistercian monasteries produce goods such as cheese, bread and other foodstuffs. Many monasteries in Belgium and the Netherlands, such as Orval Abbey and Westvleteren Abbey, brew beer both for the monks and for sale to the general public. Orval Abbey is a Cistercian Monastery founded in 1132 in the Gaume region of Belgium and is located in Villers-devant-Orval part of Florenville Westvleteren Abbey or St Sixtus' Abbey Westvleteren, which belongs to the Cistercians of Strict Observance or Trappists is located in Westvleteren, Trappist beers contain residual sugars and living yeast, and, unlike conventional beers, will improve with age. A Trappist beer is a Beer brewed by or under control of Trappist monks ^[35] These have become quite famous and are considered by many beer critics to be among the finest in the world. ^[35]

In the United States, many Cistercian monasteries support themselves through argriculture, forestry and rental of farmland. Additionally, the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Spring Bank, in Sparta, Wisconsin, supports itself with financial investing, real estate, and a group called "Laser Monks";^[36] which provides recycled laser toner and ink jet cartridges. There is also a Town of Sparta. Sparta is a city in and the County seat of Monroe County, Wisconsin, United For the Irish surname see Toner (surname. Toner is a powder used in Laser printers and Photocopiers to form An ink cartridge is a replaceable component of an Ink jet printer that contains the Ink (and sometimes the print-head itself that is spread on paper during printing ^[37]

Legacy

Main article: List of Cistercian monasteries

See also: List of Cistercian abbeys in Britain and List of monasteries dissolved by Henry VIII of England

Cistercian architecture has made an important contribution to European civilisation. The Cistercians are a Roman Catholic religious order of enclosed Monks whose Monasteries and Abbeys This is a List of Cistercian monasteries (called Abbeys) in Great Britain. These monasteries were dissolved by Henry VIII of England in the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire, England, is a Ruined Cistercian Monastery, founded in 1132 United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex Cistercian architecture is a style of architecture headed by Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux, France, who in the year 1124 led the Cistercians The abbeys of France and England are fine examples of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. In Poland, the former Cistercian monastery of Pelplin Cathedral is an important example of brick gothic. Pelplin is a small town in Pomeranian Voivodship, Poland. Population 9993 (2007 Brick Gothic (Backsteingotik is a reduced style of Gothic architecture common in Northern Europe, especially in Northern Germany and the regions around Wąchock abbey is one of the most valuable examples of Polish Romanesque architecture. Wąchock is a town in Starachowice County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland, near Starachowice. The largest Cistercian complex, the Abbatia Lubensis (Lubiąż, Poland), is a masterpiece of baroque architecture and the second largest Christian architectural complex in the world. The Abbatia Lubensis abbey (Kloster Leubus Opactwo cystersów w Lubiążu was a Cistercian abbey in Lubiąż, Silesia. Lubiąż (Leubus is a village on the east bank of the Odra (Oder River, in the administrative district of Gmina Wołów, within Wołów County, Lower Baroque architecture, starting in the early 17th century in Italy, took the humanist Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical

The following monasteries and abbeys are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

• Abbey of Fontenay, Côte-d'Or, France
• Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire, England
• Monastery of Alcobaça, Portugal
• Poblet Monastery, Catalonia, Spain

See also

• Cistercian Martyrs of Atlas

Notes

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone

References

• Erlande-Brandenburg, Alain (1995). The Cathedral Builders of the Middle Ages. Thames & Hudson Ltd. ISBN 0500300526 ISBN 978-0500300527.  

• Clarke, Howard B. ; Dent, Sarah; Johnson, Ruth (2002). Dublinia: The Story of Medieval Dublin. Dublin: O'Brien. ISBN 0862787858.  

• Dykes, D. W. (1980). Alan Sorrell: Early Wales Re-created. National Museum of Wales. ISBN 0 7200 02281.  

• Gimpel, Jean, The Medieval Machine: The Industrial Revolution of the Middle Ages (New York, Penguin, 1976)

• Logan, F. Donald, A History of the Church in the Middle Ages.

• Tobin, Stephen. The Cistercians: Monks and Monasteries in Europe. The Herbert Press, LTD 1995. ISBN 1-871569-80-X.

• Watt, John, The Church in Medieval Ireland. University College Dublin Press; Second Revised Edition (May 1998). ISBN 190062110X. ISBN 978-1900621106.

• Woods, Thomas, How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization (2005), ISBN 0-89526-038-7. For the California legislator see Tom Woods (politician. Thomas E

External links

• Newadvent.org, Catholic Encyclopedia
• Cistercian Information, Certosa di Firenze (some in English)
• A Benedictine Index - the Cistercians
  • Charta Caritatis (English)
  • Carta Caritatis (Latin)
• Institute of Cistercian Studies

Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists)

• International Cistercian site
• The Cistercians in the USA
• The Cistercians in Australia

Order of Cistercians Common Observance

• International Cistercian site
• Website of oldest surviving Cistercian monastery in Austria, partly in English

Abbeys

• The Cistercians and Photos of over 40 of their Abbeys in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Britain
• Photographs of Cistercian Monasteries in Spain
• Cistercians Abbey in Sulejów - Poland (Polish)

The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language Encyclopedia published by The Encyclopedia Trappist redirects here This article is about the Cistercian order

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