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pianistclare
Guest
I have the black and grey one!
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christofirst
Guest
Thanks for your response and this thread, OraLabora!
In 2009, I spent some time at New Camaldoli Hermitage with the Camaldolese monks at Big Sur, California. It is breathtakingly beautiful, and again, my photos do not do justice to the place, but there are plenty of better ones online (these are special 'cause they’re mine). The first is the entrance off Highway 1, next is the view of the Pacific from up the hillside, then the room where I stayed (called Sacred Heart), and the view from Sacred Heart’s patio. I didn’t take photos of their chapel, which again is rustic compared to Tim and your photos, but lovely nonetheless.
forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21956&stc=1&d=1435104920
forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21957&stc=1&d=1435104982
forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21958&stc=1&d=1435105028
forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21959&stc=1&d=1435105068
In 2009, I spent some time at New Camaldoli Hermitage with the Camaldolese monks at Big Sur, California. It is breathtakingly beautiful, and again, my photos do not do justice to the place, but there are plenty of better ones online (these are special 'cause they’re mine). The first is the entrance off Highway 1, next is the view of the Pacific from up the hillside, then the room where I stayed (called Sacred Heart), and the view from Sacred Heart’s patio. I didn’t take photos of their chapel, which again is rustic compared to Tim and your photos, but lovely nonetheless.
forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21956&stc=1&d=1435104920
forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21957&stc=1&d=1435104982
forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21958&stc=1&d=1435105028
forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21959&stc=1&d=1435105068
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OraLabora
Guest
Great pics! I met an oblate from there at the first world oblate congress in Rome! We recently had the memorial of St Romuald. It’s optional on the Roman Calendar but mandatory on the Benedictine calendar.
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TimothyH
Guest
That’s a really nice cell compared to what I had at Holy Spirit. Very roomy and open.
I don’t think the extra blanket in my room had been unfolded since the 1970’s.
-Tim-
-Tim-
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christofirst
Guest
I thought my cell was heavenly! After all, St. Romuald did say, “Sit in your cell as in paradise. Put the whole world behind you and forget it. Watch your thoughts like a good fisherman watching for fish. The path you must follow is the Psalms - never leave it…” I had all the room I needed for that.That’s a really nice cell compared to what I had at Holy Spirit. Very roomy and open.
I don’t think the extra blanket in my room had been unfolded since the 1970’s.
-Tim-
-Tim-
Oh, and I’m a member of the Holy Spirit mug club too. Mine is from their 60th anniversary celebration.
forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21960&stc=1&d=1435143688
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OraLabora
Guest
I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Rome 4 times in the last 10 years. It’s occurred to me that it is possible to design a pilgrimage that follows in the footsteps of St. Benedict.
Born in Norcia around 480 A.D., there is now a monastery and basilica where he was born along with his twin sister. Cared for by monks up until 1810 when the monastery was disbanded, it has been revived since 2000. Though I have been to Norcia, I have not yet visited the abbey. Bu you can read more about it here:
osbnorcia.org/en/
My understanding is that they pray the traditional Benedictine Office and EF Mass, and make a most excellent beer. Definitely on my agenda for our next trip to Italy!
At the age of 14 St. Benedict was sent off to Rome to further his studies. There is presently a church located in his old home, San Benedetto in Piscincula in the Trastevere:
edithosb.wordpress.com/2010/05/26/sanbenedetto/
The church is now run by the Heralds of the Gospel. I attended Mass there last November (alas I don’t have photos), and you can visit St. Benedict’s room.
Having become disenchanted with life in the “big city”, St. Benedict sought solitude near Subiaco in the mountains. The site is splendid. St. Benedict lived in a grotto where his food was lowered to him in a basket at the end of a rope.
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0419.jpg
It is a moving location for Benedictines. A splendid monastery with frescoes dating back to the 8th century, was built at Subiaco:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0411.jpg
The most famous fresco is that of St. Francis of Assisi; wanting to found his order, St. Francis went to Subiaco to obtain advice from Benedictines. His fresco is famous for not bearing the stigmata, as he visited Subiaco prior to obtaining the stigmata.
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/IMG_0549_zpsjgvzjvfc.jpg
As St. Benedict established himself as a hermit, more and more men came to visit him.
He was eventually asked to become an abbot of a monastery thought to be Vicovaro, NE of Rome. But his monks became disenchanted. They first tried to poison his drink, but when saying the blessing, as legend goes, the cup shattered. Then next tried to poison his bread, but again when blessing the bread, a raven swooped down and made off with it.
He left Subiaco to found 12 neighbouring monasteries, and then eventually settled atop a mountain near Cassino, Monte Cassino, about 130 km SE of Rome.
Our pilgrimage will continue later, with an extended stop in Monte Cassino.
Born in Norcia around 480 A.D., there is now a monastery and basilica where he was born along with his twin sister. Cared for by monks up until 1810 when the monastery was disbanded, it has been revived since 2000. Though I have been to Norcia, I have not yet visited the abbey. Bu you can read more about it here:
osbnorcia.org/en/
My understanding is that they pray the traditional Benedictine Office and EF Mass, and make a most excellent beer. Definitely on my agenda for our next trip to Italy!
At the age of 14 St. Benedict was sent off to Rome to further his studies. There is presently a church located in his old home, San Benedetto in Piscincula in the Trastevere:
edithosb.wordpress.com/2010/05/26/sanbenedetto/
The church is now run by the Heralds of the Gospel. I attended Mass there last November (alas I don’t have photos), and you can visit St. Benedict’s room.
Having become disenchanted with life in the “big city”, St. Benedict sought solitude near Subiaco in the mountains. The site is splendid. St. Benedict lived in a grotto where his food was lowered to him in a basket at the end of a rope.
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0419.jpg
It is a moving location for Benedictines. A splendid monastery with frescoes dating back to the 8th century, was built at Subiaco:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0411.jpg
The most famous fresco is that of St. Francis of Assisi; wanting to found his order, St. Francis went to Subiaco to obtain advice from Benedictines. His fresco is famous for not bearing the stigmata, as he visited Subiaco prior to obtaining the stigmata.
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/IMG_0549_zpsjgvzjvfc.jpg
As St. Benedict established himself as a hermit, more and more men came to visit him.
He was eventually asked to become an abbot of a monastery thought to be Vicovaro, NE of Rome. But his monks became disenchanted. They first tried to poison his drink, but when saying the blessing, as legend goes, the cup shattered. Then next tried to poison his bread, but again when blessing the bread, a raven swooped down and made off with it.
He left Subiaco to found 12 neighbouring monasteries, and then eventually settled atop a mountain near Cassino, Monte Cassino, about 130 km SE of Rome.
Our pilgrimage will continue later, with an extended stop in Monte Cassino.
T
TimothyH
Guest
The fresco of St. Francis is breathtaking. It is supposed to have been painted during his lifetime.
Here are some additional pics from Subiaco.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Rome%20&%20Central%20Italy/Subiaco/Subiaco.htm
-Tim-
Here are some additional pics from Subiaco.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Rome%20&%20Central%20Italy/Subiaco/Subiaco.htm
-Tim-
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pianistclare
Guest
Can’t wait! Thank you so much…now THIS is a thread worth following!
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StMaurus
Guest
Very interesting indeed!
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TimothyH
Guest
This is why the St. Benedict medal pictures a cup with a snake and a raven about to make off with a loaf of bread on either side of the Saint.
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
The other side has the letters V R S N S M V - S M Q L I V B which stand for Vade retro satana: Vade retro Satana! Nunquam suade mihi vana! Sunt mala quae libas. Ipse venena bibas! (“Begone Satan! Never tempt me with your vanities! What you offer me is evil. Drink the poison yourself!”)
-Tim-
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OraLabora
Guest
Next stop on our pilgrimage in the footsteps of St. Benedict, is the abbey he founded at Monte Cassino. This abbey still exists today, although it has been reconstructed several times. It was erected on the an ancient pagan site dedicated to Apollo. It was first sacked by the Lombards in 581, and destroyed several times again, including by an earthquake in the 14th century. Most recently, it was bombed by the allies in 1944 thinking that the Germans were encamped there, but they had already left. The abbey was rebuilt by the Allies.
St. Benedict died there, just after his sister St. Scholastica. Tradition has it that on their annual visit, Scholastica, fearing her death near, asked to spend the night with her brother continuing their worship and discussion of sacred texts together. Benedict refused, not wanting to break his own rule. She prayed to God and a severe storm ensued, forcing Benedict to stay at the guesthouse where they met. A few days later, St Benedict saw her soul fly to heaven in the form of a dove.
Let’s take a brief tour of how it exists today, starting with the famous door “Pax” which is the entrance to the abbey and the only original portion remaining:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0440.jpg
Same entrance, from the interior:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0499.jpg
Entering the first cloister:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0441.jpg
The main cloister, looking from the steps leading up to the church:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0487-1.jpg
The 11th century bronze door leading into the church:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0486.jpg
The abbey celebrates the Ordinary Form Mass in Latin, ad orientem:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0508.jpg
The abbot is wearing the mitre because at the time of my 2009 visit, the abbey was one of the few remaining territorial abbeys in the world; a territorial abbey acts as the seat of a territory, roughly equivalent to a diocese, and the abbot enjoys privileges similar to a bishop.
[continued]
St. Benedict died there, just after his sister St. Scholastica. Tradition has it that on their annual visit, Scholastica, fearing her death near, asked to spend the night with her brother continuing their worship and discussion of sacred texts together. Benedict refused, not wanting to break his own rule. She prayed to God and a severe storm ensued, forcing Benedict to stay at the guesthouse where they met. A few days later, St Benedict saw her soul fly to heaven in the form of a dove.
Let’s take a brief tour of how it exists today, starting with the famous door “Pax” which is the entrance to the abbey and the only original portion remaining:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0440.jpg
Same entrance, from the interior:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0499.jpg
Entering the first cloister:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0441.jpg
The main cloister, looking from the steps leading up to the church:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0487-1.jpg
The 11th century bronze door leading into the church:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0486.jpg
The abbey celebrates the Ordinary Form Mass in Latin, ad orientem:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0508.jpg
The abbot is wearing the mitre because at the time of my 2009 visit, the abbey was one of the few remaining territorial abbeys in the world; a territorial abbey acts as the seat of a territory, roughly equivalent to a diocese, and the abbot enjoys privileges similar to a bishop.
[continued]
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pianistclare
Guest
That’s interesting about territorial Abbeys!
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TimothyH
Guest
What does it say on the bronze door?
-Tim-
-Tim-
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OraLabora
Guest
Another view of the entrance:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/IMG_2035_zps9oiums5b.jpg
Praying in the crypt of the church:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/IMG_2052_zpsqg1zpb4q.jpg
The main church. Not to everyone’s tastes as it doesn’t convey the usual Benedictine simplicity. I myself find it distracting and overdone:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/IMG_2047_zps6jiutko3.jpg
More to my tastes, is a small chapel built upon 11th century marble tiles, near St. Benedict’s cell:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0492.jpg
We had lunch in the refectory and were blessed by the abbot. This was a historic event, it was the first time that women were allowed to share the main meal with the monks in the refectory. At the first visit in 2005, oblates ate in the refectory but without the community; we were served box lunches. Here’s a picture from 2009 showing the abbot’s table:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0468.jpg
I couldn’t find a good picture of St. Benedict’s cell in my trip collection so here’s a link to it on another site:
mt.wiglaf.org/aaronm/assets_c/2013/02/Cassino-Montecassino-Cell%20of%20St.%20Benedict0196-thumb-350x233-2452.jpg
StMaurus liked this thread, so for his benefit here’s the chapel of St. Maurus at Monte Cassino:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/IMG_2049_zpsctf1pxgx.jpg
I’ve always liked the story of St. Maurus and St. Placidus; Benedict ordered Maurus to go rescue Placidus who was drowning. Maurus walked on water and pulled Placidus from the water. The feast of St. Placidus and St. Maurus is celebrated on January 15th on the Benedictine calendar.
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/IMG_2035_zps9oiums5b.jpg
Praying in the crypt of the church:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/IMG_2052_zpsqg1zpb4q.jpg
The main church. Not to everyone’s tastes as it doesn’t convey the usual Benedictine simplicity. I myself find it distracting and overdone:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/IMG_2047_zps6jiutko3.jpg
More to my tastes, is a small chapel built upon 11th century marble tiles, near St. Benedict’s cell:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0492.jpg
We had lunch in the refectory and were blessed by the abbot. This was a historic event, it was the first time that women were allowed to share the main meal with the monks in the refectory. At the first visit in 2005, oblates ate in the refectory but without the community; we were served box lunches. Here’s a picture from 2009 showing the abbot’s table:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Italy%202009/DSCN0468.jpg
I couldn’t find a good picture of St. Benedict’s cell in my trip collection so here’s a link to it on another site:
mt.wiglaf.org/aaronm/assets_c/2013/02/Cassino-Montecassino-Cell%20of%20St.%20Benedict0196-thumb-350x233-2452.jpg
StMaurus liked this thread, so for his benefit here’s the chapel of St. Maurus at Monte Cassino:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/IMG_2049_zpsctf1pxgx.jpg
I’ve always liked the story of St. Maurus and St. Placidus; Benedict ordered Maurus to go rescue Placidus who was drowning. Maurus walked on water and pulled Placidus from the water. The feast of St. Placidus and St. Maurus is celebrated on January 15th on the Benedictine calendar.
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OraLabora
Guest
Apparently, that was the subject of someone’s thesis:
archive.org/stream/bronzedoorsofabb00pres/bronzedoorsofabb00pres_djvu.txt
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Bookcat
Guest
My very favorite: chartreux.org/en/
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OraLabora
Guest
Thanks yes they are very interesting and I have been intrigued since seeing the film “Into Great Silence”. I roughly modelled my small home oratory on the oratories in a Carthusian’s cell:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/OratoryVespers.jpg
I’d like to take the opportunity to invite others to post information/pictures/trivia/history about other monastic orders besides the usual Benedictines, and Cistercians. It’s the “Monastery Thread”, not the “Benedictine Monastery Thread” though I have my bias as a result of my affiliation as oblate!
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Bookcat
Guest
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ProVobis
Guest
For what it’s worth, here is a write-up of the mission of St. Procopius Abbey in Lisle Ill.
ben.edu/center-for-mission-and-identity/identity/abbey.cfm
There is also this video. Enjoy.
youtube.com/watch?v=ExPOcbVM0go
Oh yeah, I received my masters at this university so I guess I’ll always have an attachment with these monks/brothers.
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christofirst
Guest
Thanks for that. Yes, I’ve heard of St. Procopius Abbey and College in Illinois.
One more photo from me, this one from Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, California. I spent a week there in 2007, and took this long distance photo from the outdoor Stations of the Cross that also leads to some nice ocean vistas. If I could have foreseen this thread, I would have taken more and better pictures! But you can see the distinctive blue tiled roof, and more clearly at their website. I am a long-term aspiring Oblate of this abbey, more like a friend of the abbey now. I keep in regular touch with their Oblate director via email, and once my family obligations allow me make more regular trips there (so as to attend the Oblate meetings) it is something I am interested in pursuing.
forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21978&stc=1&d=1435275673
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