The Cistercians, (/sɪˈstɜːrʃənz/) officially the Order of Cistercians (Latin: (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict.

What was the monastic movement?

monasticism, an institutionalized religious practice or movement whose members attempt to live by a rule that requires works that go beyond those of either the laity or the ordinary spiritual leaders of their religions.

What was the goal of the Cistercian monks?

The order’s founders, led by St. Robert of Molesme, were a group of Benedictine monks from the abbey of Molesme who were dissatisfied with the relaxed observance of their abbey and desired to live a solitary life under the guidance of the strictest interpretation of the Rule of St. Benedict.

Why was the cluniac reform important?

The reforms encouraged the Church in the West to be more attentive to business and led the papacy to attempt to assert control over the Eastern Church.

What was the purpose of both the cluniac and Cistercian reforms?

While both the reforms had different approaches, they hoped to achieve the same goal: strict observance of the rules of Saint Benedict. Interestingly, their lives also ran the same course: Initial success which indeed saw their goals being met, followed by eventual obsolescence.

What was the importance of the monastic movement to medieval Europe?

Monks and nuns performed many practical services in the Middle Ages, for they housed travelers, nursed the sick, and assisted the poor; abbots and abbesses dispensed advice to secular rulers. But monasticism also offered society a spiritual outlet and ideal with important consequences for medieval culture as a whole.

What did medieval monks do?

Monks and nuns performed may roles in the middle ages. They provided shelter, they taught others to read and write, prepared medicine, sewed clothes for others, and helped others in times of need. They spent most of their time praying and meditating.

What led to the creation of the Cistercian Order?

What led to the creation of the Cistercian order? A group of monks were unhappy with the Benedictine monastery and believed that it had a lack of discipline. They created the Cistercian monasticism and spread around Europe.

What did Cistercian monks wear?

The Cistercians’ garments were cheap and rough, their wardrobe frugal. They adhered strictly to chapter 55 of the Rule of St Benedict, and each monk had two tunics and two cowls, a scapular for work, shoes and stockings. The extra tunic allowed for washing and night-time wear, as the Cistercian monk slept in his habit.

What new monastic orders were created during the Middle Ages?

The two best-known mendicant orders are the Franciscans (founded by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1209 CE) and the Dominicans (founded by Saint Dominic in 1216 CE). The Franciscans emphasized devotion and service to others through a life of simplicity mirroring Jesus’ ministry and that of his apostles.

What is the Center for Cistercian and monastic studies?

The Center for Cistercian and Monastic Studies encourages and facilitates research on all aspects of the Cistercian tradition and in the broader field of religious traditions. The Center sponsors sessions at the International Congress on Medieval Studies and collaborates with the University Libraries on digitization projects.

What is the Cistercian style of architecture?

Cistercian architecture is a style of architecture associated with the churches, monasteries and abbeys of the Roman Catholic Cistercian Order. It was headed by Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux (d. 1153), who believed that churches should avoid superfluous ornamentation so as not to distract from the religious life.

What did the Cistercians invent?

[2] Most Cistercian abbeys and churches were built in remote valleys far from cities and populated areas, and this isolation and need for self-sustainability bred an innovativeness among the Cistercians. Many Cistercian establishments display early examples of hydraulic engineering and waterwheels.

Where were Cistercian abbeys built?

Most Cistercian abbeys and churches were built in remote valleys far from cities and populated areas. Cistercian architecture is a style of architecture associated with the churches, monasteries and abbeys of the Roman Catholic Cistercian Order.