Hungarian Benedictine Congregation

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The Hungarian Benedictine Congregation (Latin Congregatio Hungarica Ordinis Sancti Benedicti ) is a monastery association of Benedictines .

history

founding

Pannonhalma Archabbey
Tihany Abbey
Győr Abbey

The first Benedictines, Abbot Anastasio and his companions, came to Hungary in 996 , were refugees from Bohemia and were greeted by Prince Géza . King Stephen I , his son, founded the Pannonhalma Abbey . They played an important role in Hungary's conversion to Christianity and provided the country's first bishops.

In 1500 Ludwig II appointed Matteo Tolnai abbot of Pannonhalma in order to renew the monastery. It was mainly based on the Melk reform . He tried to push back the coming system so that every community had a rightful abbot.

The reformed Hungarian monasteries were united in 1514 by Pope Leo X to form a congregation chaired by Tolnai.

Dissolution and restoration

After the defeat of the Hungarians against the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Mohács in 1526, many monasteries were destroyed and the communities dispersed. In 1585 the Pannonhalma Abbey was occupied and converted into a fortress.

In 1638 the Pannonhalma Abbey was founded by Ferdinand III. restored and tasked with preventing the advance of Protestantism . Benedictine monasticism flourished again after the defeat of the Turks and the reconquest of Hungary. The monks of Pannonhalma succeeded in reviving the old abbeys of Bakonybél , Celldömölk , Tihany and Zalavár, thus restoring the congregation.

There was a close connection between the communities, as all the monks of the congregation completed their novitiate in Pannonhalma and the abbots of the other monasteries were appointed by the Archabbot of Pannonhalma.

During the reign of Joseph II , numerous abbeys and Pannonhalma were dissolved, but were later restored by Francis II . All goods were returned to them with the obligation to keep the secondary school. The task of educating young people encouraged spiritual life, and the Benedictine influence in the country's educated circles grew. Many monks became university professors and members of the Academy of Sciences.

Time of communism

In 1949, after the proclamation of the People's Republic by the Hungarian Working People's Party, all religious orders were dissolved and the Catholic schools closed. The Archabbey of Pannonhalma was spared because of its history and the Benedictines returned in 1950.

Some Benedictines from Hungary founded a priory in São Paulo , Brazil , in 1953 and another in 1958 in the Portola Valley , California . Both monasteries were allowed to accept non-Hungarian novices.

Activities and dissemination

Many abbeys have secondary schools where the monks teach. The monks look after parishes and take on other pastoral activities (management of retreat houses and spiritual exercises).

In addition to Hungary, there are also monasteries in Austria , Brazil and Slovakia . The priory in California was given to the American-Cassinese Benedictine Congregation . The head of the congregation is the Archabbot of Pannonhalma.

In 2008 the congregation had nine abbeys, a priory and 97 monks.

Monasteries

Hungary

Austria

  • House Unterwart, dependent on Pannonhalma, 3 monks

Slovakia

  • House de Komárno (1780), dependent on Pannonhalma, 1 monk

Brazil

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Ann. Pont. 2010 , p. 1425.
  2. ↑ a b c G. Békés, DIP, vol. II (1975) col. 1521.
  3. ↑ G. Békés, DIP, Volume II (1975), Col. 1522.
  4. ↑ G. Békés, DIP, vol. II (1975) col. 1523.
  5. ↑ G. Békés, DIP, vol. II (1975), coll. 1522-1523.

literature