Robert of Molesme

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Statue of Robert von Molesme in the gatehouse of Marienfeld Monastery , inside
A baroque depiction of Robert von Molesme
Krümme from the crook of Robert. Italy around 1100, gold-plated silver filigree. From the Citeaux Abbey. Today Dijon, Musee des Beaux Arts.

Robert of Molesme , and Robert of Cîteaux called (* around 1028 in the Champagne ; † 17th April 1111 in Molesme ) was Benedictine - Abt , religious reformer, Gründerabt of Molesme and Cîteaux and co-founder of the Cistercian order .

Life

Robert was born around the year 1029; he came from a noble family from Champagne . At the age of fifteen he entered the Benedictine monastery of Montier-la-Celle near Troyes , where he later became prior . In 1070 he was finally appointed Abbot of Saint-Michel-de-Tonnerre. The monks there were known for their laxity and refused to accept his reform attempts. As a result, Robert returned to Montier-la-Celle. In 1072 he was appointed prior of Saint-Aiyoul.

A group of seven hermits who lived in the Collan forest near Michel-de-Tonnerre tried to persuade Robert to become their abbot. Two of them therefore traveled to Rome and asked Pope Gregory VII for permission to make Robert their spiritual leader. In 1074 Robert finally introduced the hermits into monastic life and one year later founded the Molesme Monastery in Burgundy with them . The early monastery was located in the forest and consisted of wooden huts and a chapel dedicated to the Holy Trinity .

Just a few decades later, in 1098, there were 35 priories dependent on Molesme, as well as some nunneries that identified with the convent. The good reputation brought more and more newcomers to the Molesme community. The aristocrats of the area were generous in their donations to the monastery; the many land donations made it rich. Robert became increasingly dissatisfied with developments in the convent and left the monastery twice: both times he was recalled by the Pope.

Citeaux

In 1098 Robert finally managed to leave Molesme with 21 confreres. Renaud, Viscount of Beaune, gave the monks a desolate valley in the forest, where they eventually founded the Cîteaux monastery. Central people around this foundation were the two monks Stephan Harding and Alberich von Cîteaux . The new founding convention received important support from the Archbishop of Lyon , who wrote to Eudo, Duke of Burgundy, and asked him for help for the monks. Eudo financed the construction of the monastery, which had already begun, for the monks, equipped them with the necessities of life and gave them land and cattle. The Bishop of Châlons finally appointed Robert abbot of the new monastery.

Return to Molesme and the creation of the Cistercian order

Meanwhile, the monks of the increasingly declining monastery Molesme missed their former abbot. They therefore asked him to return to Molesme. They promised to live in Molesme under Robert's leadership according to the interpretation of the Rule of Benedict as lived in Cîteaux . A synod of bishops decided that Robert had to return to Molesme. Molesme then rose to an important center of Benedictine life, while Cîteaux - under the leadership of Alberich von Cîteaux and Stephan Harding - became the nucleus of the Cistercian order.

Robert von Molesme died on April 17, 1111. He is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church : Pope Honorius III. canonized him in 1222. His feast day was initially April 17th; from 1224 April 29th; since 1965 it has been celebrated on January 26th together with Stephan Harding and Alberich von Cîteaux .

A biography of Roberts was written by Guy, his direct successor as Abbot of Molesme.

literature

Web links

Commons : Robert von Molesme  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Eberl, Immo: The Cistercians. History of a European Order . S. 19 .
personal data
SURNAME Robert of Molesme
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Robert of Cîteaux
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Benedictine abbot, reform monk and co-founder of the Cistercian order
DATE OF BIRTH around 1028
PLACE OF BIRTH Champagne
DATE OF DEATH April 17, 1111
Place of death Molesme