Einsiedeln Abbey (german: Kloster Einsiedeln) is a

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

Catholic monastery in the village of

Einsiedeln Einsiedeln () is a municipality and district in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland known for its monastery, the Benedictine Einsiedeln Abbey, established in the 10th century. History Early history There was no permanent settlement in the area ...

in the canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. The abbey is dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, in recognition of

Meinrad of Einsiedeln Meinrad ( la, Meinradus, Mainradus; 797 – 21 January 861 AD) was a hermit and is a Roman Catholic and Orthodox saint. He is known as the "Martyr of Hospitality". His feast day is 21 January. Life Meinrad was born into the family of the Coun ...

, a hermit saint. A territorial abbey, Einsiedeln is not under the jurisdiction of a

diocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associ ...

or a bishop. Einsiedeln Abbey has been a major resting point for centuries for pilgrims travelling to

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica ( Spanish and Galician: ) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. The ...

in Spain on the Way of St. James. The abbey operates a private high school along with a winery, sawmill, restaurant and other small businesses in order to support itself.

History

The history of Einsiedeln Abbey starts with Meinrad of Einsiedeln. Born in 797 to an aristocratic German family, he was educated at the abbey school on

Reichenau Island Reichenau Island () is an island in Lake Constance in Southern Germany. It lies almost due west of the city of Konstanz, between the Gnadensee and the Untersee, two parts of Lake Constance. With a total land surface of and a circumference ...

in what is today Germany. Meinrad became a monk and was later

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...

a priest. After gaining public attention for reportedly performing miracles, Meinrad established a hermitage in 829 in the Einsiedeln forest of Switzerland, searching for privacy. He was murdered by two robbers in January 861.Alston, George Cyprian. "Abbey of Einsiedeln." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909 Over the next 80 years, other hermits occupied Meinrad's hermitage. In 934 Eberhard, previously Provost of

Strassburg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label= Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label= Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the E ...

, built the Einsiedeln abbey and church on the hermitage site, becoming its first abbot. According to legend, the church was consecrated in 948 in person by Jesus Christ the Four Evangelists, St. Peter, and St.

Gregory the Great Pope Gregory I ( la, Gregorius I; – 12 March 604), commonly known as Saint Gregory the Great, was the bishop of Rome from 3 September 590 to his death. He is known for instigating the first recorded large-scale mission from Rome, the Gregoria ...

Pope Leo VIII Pope Leo VIII ( 915 – 1 March 965) was a Roman prelate who claimed the Holy See from 963 until 964 in opposition to John XII and Benedict V and again from 23 June 964 to his death. Today he is considered by the Catholic Church to have bee ...

investigated and confirmed the miracle. It was last ratified by

Pope Pius VI Pope Pius VI ( it, Pio VI; born Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to his death in August 1799. Pius VI condemned the French Revoluti ...

in 1793, who confirmed the acts of all his predecessors. In 965 Gregory, the third Abbot of Einsiedeln, was named a prince of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 unt ...

by Emperor

Otto I Otto I (23 November 912 – 7 May 973), traditionally known as Otto the Great (german: Otto der Große, it, Ottone il Grande), was East Frankish king from 936 and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. He was the oldest son of He ...

. His successor abbots would hold that title until the dissolution of the empire in 1806. In 1039, Meinrad's relics were transferred from Reichenau Island to Einsiedeln for enshrinement. In 1274, the abbey and its dependencies were incorporated into an independent

principality A principality (or sometimes princedom) can either be a monarchical feudatory or a sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a regnant-monarch with the title of prince and/or princess, or by a monarch with another title considered to fall un ...

Rudolf I of Germany Rudolf I (1 May 1218 – 15 July 1291) was the first King of Germany from the House of Habsburg. The first of the count-kings of Germany, he reigned from 1273 until his death. Rudolf's election marked the end of the Great Interregnum whic ...

. This gave the abbot political jurisdiction over the abbey lands. During the early 16th century, the standards of discipline at Einsiedeln started to decline, but Ludovicus II, a monk of

St. Gall Gall ( la, Gallus; 550 646) according to hagiographic tradition was a disciple and one of the traditional twelve companions of Columbanus on his mission from Ireland to the continent. Deicolus was the elder brother of Gall. Biography The ...

who was Abbot of Einsiedeln from 1526 to 1544, restored a stricter observance. The abbey remained unaffected by the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and i ...

in Switzerland. Its leader,

Huldrych Zwingli Huldrych or Ulrich Zwingli (1 January 1484 – 11 October 1531) was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland, born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swiss mercenary system. He attended the Univ ...

, had studied at the abbey for a period of time. Abbot Augustine I (1600–29) led the movement to create the

Swiss Congregation The Swiss Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation is a grouping of Benedictine monasteries in Switzerland or with significant historical Swiss connections. Foundation The Congregation was founded, at the urging of the Papal legate to Switz ...

of the Order of St. Benedict in 1602. Augustine established unrelaxed observance in the abbey and promoted a high standard of scholarship and learning amongst his monks. The Einsiedeln abbey church was rebuilt by Abbot Maurus between 1704 and 1719. In 1779, the abbey came under the control of France during its invasion of Italy, losing its status as an independent

. In 1854, during a period of unrest in

Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...

, the Einsiedeln leadership became afraid that the abbey would be suppressed or dissolved. They sent a group of monks to southern Indiana in the United States to minister to German immigrants and develop a possible place of refuge. The monks started a new foundation, now Saint Meinrad Archabbey in St. Meinrad, Indiana, Einsiedeln Abbey celebrated the

millennium A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannus, kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting ...

of Meinrad of Einsiedeln in 1861. The abbey celebrated its own millennium in 1934.

Pope Pius XI Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City f ...

granted a pontifical decree of canonical coronation towards its venerated Marian image on 21 March 1934. The rite of coronation was executed by the

Archbishop of Milan The Archdiocese of Milan ( it, Arcidiocesi di Milano; la, Archidioecesis Mediolanensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Italy which covers the areas of Milan, Monza, Lecco and Varese. It has lon ...

, Cardinal Alfredo Schuster. The abbey started renovations in 1977 that were completed in 1997.

Abbey today

Pilgrimages

The pilgrimages which have never ceased since the days of St Meinrad, have tended to make Einsiedeln on a par with the

Holy House of Loreto The Basilica della Santa Casa ( en, Basilica of the Holy House) is a Marian shrine in Loreto, in the Marches, Italy. The basilica is known for enshrining the house in which the Blessed Virgin Mary is believed by some Catholics to have lived. Pi ...

and

Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of S ...

, serving as a major stopping point on the Way of St. James leading there. The statue of Our Lady from the 15th century, enthroned in the little chapel erected by Eberhard, is the object of their devotion. It is the subject of the earliest preserved print of pilgrimage, by the Master E.S. in 1466. The chapel is located in the great abbey church. September 14 and October 13 are the chief pilgrimage days. * September 14 is the anniversary of the miraculous consecration of the original church in 948. * October 13 is the anniversary of the translation of Meinrad's relics to Einsiedeln in 1039

Expansion to America

Five monasteries were founded in the United States by monks from Einsiedeln Abbey: * Saint Meinrad Archabbey in St. Meinrad, Indiana * Subiaco Abbey in Logan County, Arkansas * St. Joseph Abbey in Saint Benedict, Louisiana * Marmion Abbey in Aurora, Illinois * Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, California One monastery, now closed, was San Jose Priory in Solola, Guatemala.

Monastery

The

library A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vi ...

contains nearly 250,000 volumes and many priceless manuscripts. . The library contains the Versus de scachis, the earliest mention of chess in Western literature.The Earliest Evidence of Chess in Western Literature: The Einsiedeln Verses, Helena M. Gamer, Speculum, Vol. 29, No. 4 (October 1954), pp. 734-750 The work of the monks is divided chiefly between prayer, work and study. At pilgrimage times the number of confessions heard is very large In 2013, the community numbered 60 monks. Attached to the abbey are a seminary and a college for about 360 pupils who are partially taught by the monks, who also provide

spiritual direction Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of their encounters of the div ...

for six convents of consecrated religious women. The monastery complex, the abbey's library, archives and music collection are listed in the

Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance #REDIRECT Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance {{R from other capitalisation ...

as ''Class A'' objects of national importance.

School

One of the abbey's apostolates is a school (''Gymnasium'') for the seventh to twelfth grades which has existed in its present form since 1848. Its alumni include

Gall Morel Gall Morel, O.S.B., was a poet, scholar, aesthete, and educationist, born at St. Gallen, Switzerland, on 24 March 1803; died at the Abbey of Einsiedeln on 16 December 1872. His baptismal name was Benedict, but in the monastery he took the name of ...

, Franz Fassbind,

Philipp Etter Philipp Etter (21 December 1891, in Menzingen – 23 December 1977) was a Swiss politician. He was the son of Joseph Anton, cooper master, and the Jakobea Stocker. During his office time he held the Department of Home Affairs and was President o ...

, Hans Hürlimann and his son

Thomas Hürlimann Thomas Hürlimann (born 21 December 1950) is a Swiss playwright and novelist. Biography Hürlimann was born in Zug, Switzerland. He is a son of the former government and federal councilor (Minister) Hans Hürlimann. He studied philosophy in Züric ...

, Bruno Frick, and

Anatole Taubman Anatole Taubman (born 23 December 1970) is a Swiss actor. He is best known for his performance as Elvis in ''Quantum of Solace ''Quantum of Solace'' is a 2008 spy film and the twenty-second in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Prod ...

. It is still a territorial abbey, meaning that it is located in a territory that is not part of any diocese which the abbot governs "as its proper pastor"
Canon 370, ''Codex Juris Canonici''
with the same authority as a diocesan bishop.

Fahr Convent

Located in separate cantons, Einsiedeln Abbey and Fahr Convent, a community of Benedictine nuns, form a

double monastery A double monastery (also dual monastery or double house) is a monastery combining separate communities of monks and of nuns, joined in one institution to share one church and other facilities. The practice is believed to have started in the East ...

, both under the authority of the male Abbot of Einsiedeln. The female prioress of Fahr cannot be elected to oversee both communities.

Dependencies

Ufenau

Ufenau Ufenau is an island located, with the neighbouring island of Lützelau, in Lake Zürich in Switzerland between Freienbach ( away) and Rapperswil ( away). Highlights on Ufenau include ''St. Peter & Paul'' church, ''St. Martin's'' chapel, and U ...

is a small island in Lake Zurich that is owned by Einsiedeln Abbey. Open to the general public, the island is home to a conservation area and tourist accommodation.

Endigen

Endigen is a district in the town of Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland that is owned by Einsiedeln Abbey. It has been owned by the abbey since at least the 13th century. The ''

Einsiedlerhaus Einsiedlerhaus is a historic building with an adjoint garden which is part of the former town wall of the medieval Swiss town of Rapperswil in the Canton of St. Gallen. Location Situated on the shore of Zürichsee lake, Einsiedlerhaus is the ...

'', meaning "house of the Einsiedeln abbey" is an historic building in Endigen that is also owned by the abbey.

Cultural Heritage

Gallery

Kloster Einsiedeln 002.jpg, The abbey as seen from the left Einsiedeln - Kloster 2013-01-26 13-50-51 (P7700).JPG, The abbey as seen from the east Einsiedeln - Kloster und Marienbrunnen - Marienplatz 2013-01-26 15-05-01 (P7700).JPG, Lady Fountain Einsiedeln, the chapel (interior), Lake Lucerne, Switzerland-LCCN2001703083.jpg, Einsiedeln, the Lady chapel (interior) Einsiedeln - Kloster - Innenansicht 2013-01-26 14-39-54 (P7700).JPG, Nave of the abbey church Klosterkirche Einsiedeln - Weihnachtskuppel 2009-05-27 17-28.jpg, Details of the ceiling paintings Kloster Einsiedeln MG 2745.JPG, Details of the ceiling paintings

Bibliography

*Moreau (Odile et Richard): ''D'Einsiedeln à la Salette au fil des siècles : avec les pėlerins comtois sur les pas de la Vierge Marie''. L'Harmattan, Paris, 2012.

References

External links

*
Klosterarchiv Einsiedeln
(archives of the abbey) {{Authority control Christian monasteries established in the 10th century Benedictine monasteries in Switzerland History of Switzerland by location Imperial abbeys Cultural property of national significance in the canton of Schwyz Einsiedeln Buildings and structures in the canton of Schwyz History of the canton of Schwyz Double monasteries Establishments in East Francia Roman Catholic churches in Switzerland 10th-century establishments in Switzerland 10th-century churches Religious buildings and structures completed in 934