Averbode Abbey
The Abbey Averbode is a Norbertine abbey in Averbode , the suburbs of the Flemish city of Scherpenheuvel-Zichem .
location
Averbode Abbey is located north of Averbode, where the borders of the provinces of Flemish Brabant , Antwerp and Limburg meet today .
history
In the years 1134/35 the Abbey of Our Lady and John the Baptist was founded by Arnold II , the Count of Loon. It was his wish that the Premonstratensians from the Saint Michaels Abbey in Antwerp also settle near his own estate. For this purpose, he made land available to the canons, which consisted primarily of forests and pastures. The abbey grounds were only expanded from 1147 onwards: the abbey acquired larger estates through donations from the landed gentry, through purchases and exchanges. The proceeds from this area were used for the supply of the canons, for the construction of the abbey and for charitable purposes. Thanks to skilful management, Averbode Abbey experienced a heyday at the end of the 13th century that lasted through the entire 14th century.
The 15th century with its political upheavals was less successful for the abbey. The abbey inhabitants and the neighboring population had opposed Johannes von Bayern and the latter inflicted a bitter defeat on his opponents - supported by Johann Ohnefurcht . The monastery was plundered, the abbot and some canons captured and only released again for a ransom. The abbot was then forced to sell important real estate, but the careful management that followed prevented anything worse.
When Maximilian of Austria waged war in Brabant at the end of the 15th century, several monastery buildings were destroyed and the abbey church burned down in 1499 after a lightning strike. Finally, the abbey was sacked by soldiers in 1578 and the canons had no other option but to retreat to Diest , where they stayed until 1604.
After the canons returned from exile, better times began for the monastery. The abbey was expanded, including the baroque church that still exists today (1664–1672).
But then came the French Revolution and again the canons were driven from their monastery and the buildings were partly devastated. The abbey church's impressive pipe organ was bought by the St. Lambertus congregation from Helmond ( Netherlands ), where it can still be viewed today. It was not until forty years later that a handful of older friars moved back into the buildings in Averbode and tried to start over. This succeeded, as the clergy soon arrived at the monastery and the abbey recovered so much that it was able to found numerous new religious houses, including in Brazil (1896), Denmark (1903), Brasschaat (1931) and Schoten (1959).
In 1942 a large part of the abbey fell victim to a fire, so that rebuilding was necessary.
The abbey today
The monastery has an important library. Inside, which can rarely be visited, there are numerous art-historically important and therefore valuable objects, including a Renaissance chalice by Reiner van Jaersvelt and a reliquary cross from the 14th century. The abbey also has a large publishing house for Christian youth magazines and books, which are also read by non- Catholic Christians. In the baroque abbey church, the high altar and two paintings by Pieter Jozef Verhaghen are particularly worth seeing, as are the choir stalls (1671–1673) by Octaaf Henry . During the renovation of the abbey church under the artistic direction of Elmar Hillebrand , the main altar designed and executed by the sculptor Johannes Hillebrand was erected and inaugurated in 2001.
In 2011 the abbey maintained a guest house and a reflection center and had 78 members, 45 of whom lived and worked in the abbey. Jos Wouters has been the abbot of Averbode since February 2006 . Wouters was elected Abbot General of the Order by the General Chapter of the Premonstratensians in July 2018 .
literature
- De abdijkerk van Averbode, Ed .: VZW Abdij der Norbertijnen van Averbode, 2003 D / 2003/40/2 ISBN 90-317-1953-6
Web links
Coordinates: 51 ° 2 ′ 0 ″ N , 4 ° 58 ′ 47 ″ E