Cistercian Order

• Formation: 1098 CE
• Founders: Robert of Molesme, Alberic of Cîteaux, Stephen Harding

The Cistercians are a Catholic monastic order founded in 1098 in a village in eastern France that was known at the time by its Latin name, Cistercium. The name of the village probably meant "just this side of the third milestone [of the old Roman road from Langres to Chalon-sur-Saone]." The object of Cistercian life was and continues to be strict observance of the teachings of St. Benedict (c. 480–547 CE), which provided the framework for much of the monastic life of medieval Europe.

The Cistercians represented a reform movement that sought to establish a monastic life that was more focused on manual labor and spiritual pursuits than on direct engagement in the secular world. Thus, Cistercian monasteries, especially those established long ago, tended to be in isolated locations that presented architectural, agricultural, and other economic challenges. In meeting these challenges, the Cistercians became a notable source of technological innovation in medieval times. Many experts consider the Cistercian style of architecture to be an especially important cultural treasure.

Throughout the long history of the Cistercian movement, various groups have branched off but retained independent use of the title "Cistercian," most notably the Trappists who broke away during the seventeenth century and whose official name is Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (OCSO). The original branch of the order is known as the Cistercians of the Common Observance (SOCist), which in the second decade of the twenty-first century was made up of over 1,620 monks and over 820 nuns. The OCSO had just over 2,100 monks and just under 1,800 nuns around the world in the same time period.

History

Cistercian history is part of the phenomenon of Christian mysticism and monasticism, with roots that extend back into biblical—and probably prebiblical—times. As Jesus retreated into the desert for periods of solitary reflection, so did later figures like St. Anthony (c. 251–356), who is considered the father of organized Christian monasticism. The Christian monastic movement spread westward with the expansion of Christianity in general, and it became somewhat more organized as a result of the work of St. Benedict in the early sixth century.

When the founders of the Cistercian order, Robert of Molesme, Alberic of Cîteaux, and Stephen Harding, broke away from a nearby monastery in 1098, they did so to return to a more pristine spiritual observance based on the Benedictine Rule. Bernard of Clairvaux, a charismatic leader who oversaw and inspired the international expansion of the movement, joined the new order around the year 1110. This expansion saw the Cistercians establish monasteries in England in 1128, Austria in 1129, Scotland in 1136, and Ireland in 1140. By the time of Bernard's death in 1153, there were approximately 350 Cistercian monasteries throughout Europe.

Expansion brought with it grave practical and spiritual challenges, and time and circumstance eventually diluted the asceticism and reforming zeal of the early Cistercians. From the early thirteenth through the sixteenth century, the history of the order is one of multiple local reform attempts, which tended, when successful, to lead not to the overall strengthening of the order but to its splintering into many subgroups. The Protestant Reformation nearly destroyed the Cistercian movement in England; during this period, Cistercian lands and properties were confiscated by King Henry VIII. A century later, the French Revolution was a similar disaster, one that nearly destroyed the order in France.

The Cistercian order today has rebuilt itself from its earlier remnants, with two primary divisions: the Cistercian Order of Common Observance, with most of its members in central Europe and some in Southeast Asia, and the Cistercian Order of Strict Observance, widely known as Trappists.

Beliefs and Practices

The official website of the Cistercian Order of Strict Observance describes the group's ideal as life in stable, self-supporting communities set apart from the ordinary life of society. In addition to the full Liturgy of the Hours, a time of prayer that is to be celebrated every day, monks and nuns are also required to spend time on manual labor, reflection, and study. The emphasis of monastic life is on "authentic poverty and simplicity" (O.C.S.O.,"Our Spirit," no. 2). In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, the order has endeavored to recognize "the necessity of a greater degree of pluralism in order to . . . allow the Cistercian charism to be lived with greater integrity" (O.C.S.O.,"Our Spirit," no. 3).

Cistercian monks and nuns generally avoid unnecessary conversation, which has led to false rumors that they take a vow of silence. The website of the Cistercian Order of Strict Observance explains that there are three reasons why monks or nuns might engage in conversation: "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" (O.C.S.O.,"FAQs," no. 1). Cistercians believe that the general atmosphere of silence, which is conducive to a prayerful life, is not violated by these forms of communication.

The requirement that Cistercian communities be self-supporting has led both to innovation and tension. The order has a history of technological and entrepreneurial innovation as monasteries sought self-sufficiency. For instance, the Cistercians of medieval times are credited with seminal developments in metallurgy and hydraulic engineering. Trappist beers have long been considered some of the finest in the world. The Cistercian's Our Lady of Spring Bank Abbey in Wisconsin even supported itself in the early twenty-first century by selling items such as laser printer toner and inkjet cartridges. Yet technology and business also strike at the very heart of Cistercian life—namely, the isolation from the secular world that the group seeks to maintain. Many of the sectarian splits that have marked Cistercian history have resulted from disagreement about this dynamic balance between engagement and isolation.

As a rule, Cistercians—both in centuries past as well as in the twenty-first century—avoid engaging in public ministry, believing that the monastic life serves the world at large by providing a testament to the Christian faith. However, Cistercian monasteries have long considered hospitality to visitors a cardinal virtue. Visitors are encouraged to experience the benefits of the spiritual life of the order, which believes that "[t]he monastery is for many a peaceful refuge in the midst of noise and tumult, a place where visitors find that freedom from distractions which prepares the heart for its meeting with God" (O.C.S.O.,"Our Life," n. pag.).

Bibliography

Baedecker, Rob. "Good Works: Monks Build Multimillion-Dollar Business and Give the Money Away." SF Gate, 24 March 2008, www.sfgate.com/business/article/Good-Works-Monks-build-multimillion-dollar-2496735.php. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Bruun, Mette Birkedal. The Cambridge Companion to the Cistercian Order. Cambridge University Press, 2013.

Homan, Helen Walker. “Cistercian Order Of The Common Observance.” Catholic Culture, www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=4425. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

O.C.S.O.—Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, www.ocso.org. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Tobin, Stephen. The Cistercians: Monks and Monasteries of Europe. Overlook, 1996.

“Who were the Cistercians?” Abbey Walks, www.abbeywalks.co.uk/history/cistercianmonks. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.