40:
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398:'s troops plundered Vallombrosa, and the monastery lay deserted till 1815. It was finally suppressed by the Italian Government in 1866. A few monks still remain to look after the church and meteorological station, but the abbey buildings have become a school of forestry that was founded in 1870 on the German model, the only one of its kind in Italy. Vallombrosa is also a health resort.
177:, a member of the prominent Visdomini family, was born in the year 985 or 995. His brother was murdered, and it was his duty was to avenge the deceased. He met the murderer in a narrow lane on Good Friday and was about to slay him, but when the man threw himself upon the ground with arms outstretched in the form of a cross and begged mercy for the love of Christ, John forgave him.
229:, but this is rejected by Martène as inconsistent with the reason for leaving Camaldoli. The chronology of the early days of Vallombrosa has been much disputed. The dates given for the founder's conversion vary between 1004 and 1039, and a Vallumbrosan writer places his arrival at Vallombrosa as early as 1008. The church was consecrated by
299:
at
Florence, was founded during this period. Then the founder mitigated his rule somewhat and three more monasteries were founded and three others reformed and united with the order during his lifetime. The early Vallombrosans took a considerable part in the struggle of the popes against simony, of
279:
The main point of divergence lay in the prohibition of manual work, which is prescribed by St. Benedict. St. John's choir monks were to be pure contemplatives and to this end, he introduced the system of lay-brothers who were to attend to the secular business. He was among the first to systematize
358:, which later became the head of a considerable Benedictine congregation. There are no grounds for the legend given by some writers of the order of a great Vallombrosan congregation in France with an abbey near Paris, founded by King St. Louis.
237:, in 1038, and Itta, the abbess of the neighbouring monastery of Sant' Ellero, donated the site of the new foundation in 1039. The abbess retained the privilege of nominating the superiors, but this right was granted to the monks by
529:
At the request of the abbot-general
Humility then founded a monastery outside Faenza and became its abbess. In 1282, she founded a second convent at Florence, where she died in 1310. She left a number of mystical writings.
431:(feast, 10 March); the lay brother Melior (1 August). By the middle of the seventeenth century, the order had supplied twelve cardinals and more than 30 bishops. F.E. Hugford (1696–1771, brother of the painter
267:
but added greatly to its austerity and penitential character. His idea was to unite the ascetic advantages of the eremitical life to a life in community while avoiding the dangers of the former. Severe
413:
The abbots were originally elected for life but are now elected at the general chapter, held every four years. The Abbot of
Vallombrosa, the superior of the whole order, had formerly a seat in the
304:
in 1068. Shortly before this, the monastery of San Salvi had been burned and the monks ill-treated by the anti-reform party. These events still further increased the reputation of
Vallombrosa.
871:
876:
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Lay sisters who, under the charge of an aged lay brother, lived in a separate house and performed various household duties were attached to the monastery of
Vallombrosa.
405:, and to the constant wars which ravaged Italy. Practically all the surviving monasteries were suppressed during the course of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
428:
673:
414:
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The holy lives of the first monks at
Vallombrosa attracted considerable attention and brought many requests for new foundations, but there were few
207:
John
Gualbert first became a Benedictine monk at San Miniato, but later left that monastery to lead a more perfect life. His attraction was to the
372:
Certain abbeys, headed by that of San Salvi of
Florence, had formed a separate congregation. In 1485, these were reunited to the motherhouse by
861:
519:
about 1226, was married, but with the consent of her husband, who became a monk, entered a monastery of canonesses and afterwards became an
553:
347:
552:, besides two at Florence. The relics of St. Umiltà and her disciple Bl. Margherita are venerated at the convent of Spirito Santo at
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The shield of the order shows the founder's arm in a tawny-coloured cowl grasping a golden crutch-shaped crozier on a blue ground.
533:
When they ceased to be attached to the monasteries of monks, these sisters probably continued to lead a conventual life. Blessed
423:
The services rendered by the order have been mostly in the field of asceticism. Among the
Vallumbrosan saints may be mentioned:
184:
to pray, and the figure on the crucifix bowed its head to him in recognition of his generosity. This story forms the subject of
380:
Milanesi to found a house of studies on university lines at
Vallombrosa; but in 1527 the monastery was burned by the troops of
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estimates its foundation at a little before 1038. Here, it is said, that John and his first companions lived for some years as
866:
478:
The abbot-general is currently Giuseppe Casetta. Pierdamiano Spotorno is the Archivist and Librarian of Congregation.
695:
674:
Gunnupuri, Aarthi. "These Monks Have A Calling: Making Fresh Italian Cheese — In India", NPR, January 25, 2017
343:, they numbered over 60. All were situated in Italy, except two monasteries in Sardinia (now part of Italy).
272:
was inflicted for any breach of rule, the silence was perpetual, and poverty was most severely enforced. The
489:, dedicated to Our Lady of Grace of Montenero, patron of Tuscany. They have also had the management of the
17:
219:, he settled at Vallombrosa, where he founded his monastery. The name "Vallombrosa" means "shady glen".
126:
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this institution, and it is probable that it was largely popularized by the Vallumbrosans. The term
544:
In 1524, the nuns obtained the Abbey of San Salvi, Florence. There are Vallumbrosan nunneries at
195:
482:
362:
327:, enumerated 15 monasteries aside from the motherhouse. Twelve more are mentioned in a bull of
264:
263:, since few could endure the extraordinary austerity of the way of life. Gualbert adopted the
656:
644: One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
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in a cell attached to the Vallumbrosan church of Faenza, where she lived for twelve years.
8:
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384:. It was rebuilt by Abbot Nicolini in 1637, and in 1634 an observatory was established.
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The Vallombrosan congregation was reformed in the middle of the fifteenth century by
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A popular legend holds that on his way home, John entered the Benedictine church at
829:
Disciplina Caritatis, Il monachesimo vallombrosano tra medioevo e prima età moderna
471:. In 2015 the order had nine houses with 73 monks (48 priests). The motherhouse is
301:
355:
537:(d. 1163) entered the Vallumbrosan order at Florence and reformed the convent of
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support themselves by producing Italian cheeses for sale to upscale restaurants.
451:
was for a time a novice at Vallombrosa and received part of his education there.
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401:
The decline of the order may be ascribed to the hard fate of the motherhouse, to
300:
which the most famous incident was the ordeal by fire undertaken successfully by
130:
39:
245:, the nunnery was united with Vallombrosa in spite of the protests of the nuns.
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515:
is usually regarded as the foundress of the Vallumbrosan nuns. She was born at
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The habit, originally grey or ash coloured, is now that of other Benedictines.
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774:(in English and Italian). Monaci Benedettini Vallombrosiani Roma. p. 3.
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was so strict that the monks could not go out even on an errand of mercy.
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About 1087 Andrew of Vallombrosa (d. 1112) founded the monastery of
736:"Vallumbrosan Congregation of the Benedictine Order (O.S.B. Vall.)"
712:"Vallumbrosan Congregation of the Benedictine Order (O.S.B. Vall.)"
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and bore the additional title of Count of Monte Verde and Gualdo.
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
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Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 31 August. 2023
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27:
Roman Catholic religious order, based on the Rule of St. Benedict
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435:), is well known as one of the chief promoters of the art of
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in 1090, which took Vallombrosa under the protection of the
494:
872:
Christian religious orders established in the 11th century
556:. The habit is similar to that of other Benedictine Nuns.
877:
Catholic religious orders established in the 11th century
698:
A Handbook of Christian Symbols and Stories of the Saints
288:) occurs for the first time in Abbot Andrew of Strumi's
315:
After the founder's death, the order spread rapidly. A
215:
life, so after staying for some time with the monks at
817:, A cura di F. Salvestrini, Milano-Lecco: ERSAF, 2011.
292:, written at the beginning of the twelfth century.
660:. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
153:on the northwest slope of Monte Secchieta in the
853:
443:in plaster). Abbot-General Tamburini's works on
815:I Vallombrosani in Lombardia (XI-XVIII secolo)
369:at the beginning of the seventeenth century.
157:chain. They use the postnominal abbreviation
700:, Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1891, p. 29
38:
696:Erskine, Clara and Waters, Clement Waters.
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481:The Vallumbrosian monks maintain the
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862:History of Catholic religious orders
759:Santuario della Madonna di Montenero
467:The Vallombrosians are part of the
331:in 1115, and 24 others in those of
24:
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650:Webster, Douglas Raymund (1912). "
295:Only one other monastery, that of
25:
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685:"Vallombrossa Center", Menlo Park
654:". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
403:the system of commendatory abbots
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772:The Basilica of Saint Praxedes
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491:Basilica of Santa Prassede
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49:with other Vallumbrosan
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770:Gallio, Paola (1998).
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363:Cassinese Benedictines
265:Rule of Saint Benedict
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846:Christian Iconography
831:, Roma, Viella, 2008.
824:, Roma, Viella, 2010.
657:Catholic Encyclopedia
560:Notable Vallombrosans
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113:(alternately spelled
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571:Bernard degli Uberti
429:Giovanni Dalle Celle
409:Rule and functioning
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243:Pope Alexander IV
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335:(1153) and
311:Development
188:'s picture
186:Burne-Jones
182:San Miniato
139:Vallombrosa
137:founded in
856:Categories
745:2018-07-13
721:2018-07-13
592:References
502:Bangladore
396:Napoleon I
329:Paschal II
261:postulants
255:(Florence)
211:, and not
169:Foundation
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98:Founded at
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541:in 1153.
539:Cavriglia
521:anchoress
445:canon law
437:scagliola
425:Veridiana
337:Adrian IV
297:San Salvi
270:scourging
253:San Salvi
217:Camaldoli
209:cenobitic
70:Formation
848:web site
581:Verdiana
554:Varlungo
394:In 1808
348:Cornilly
325:Holy See
321:Urban II
282:conversi
223:Mabillon
213:eremitic
151:Florence
844:at the
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487:Livorno
449:Galileo
350:in the
227:hermits
159:OSBVall
129:in the
88:Founder
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546:Faenza
517:Faenza
441:marble
51:saints
231:Rotho
143:Latin
102:Italy
55:beati
548:and
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