Chevetogne Abbey
Encyclopedia
Chevetogne Abbey, also known as the Monastery of the Holy Cross, is a Roman Catholic Benedictine
monastery
dedicated to Christian unity located in the Belgian
village of Chevetogne in the municipality of Ciney
, province of Namur, halfway between Brussels
and Luxembourg
. Currently, the monastery has 27 monks.
In 1924 Pope Pius XI
addressed the apostolic letter "Equidem verba" to the Benedictine Order encouraging them to work for the reunion of the Catholic and Eastern Churches, with particular emphasis on the Russian Orthodox Church
. The following year, a community was established by Dom Lambert Beauduin
(1873–1960) at Amay
, on the river Meuse
. Because of Beauduin's close friendship with Cardinal Mercier and Pope John XXIII
, as well as his relations with Eastern Christians, he became a pioneer of the Catholic Ecumenical movement. His initial focus was on unity with Orthodox and Anglicans, but was eventually extended to all those who bear the name of Christ.
In 1939, the community of Amay Priory moved to its current location at Chevetogne, occupying a former Jesuit novitiate. Since then, an Eastern church was built in 1957 and painted with frescos by Rhallis Kopsidis and Georges Chochlidakis, and a Western church was completed with a library in its basement. The library has approximately 100,000 volumes and subscribes to about 500 specialized journals and periodicals. Chevetogne Priory was raised to the status of an abbey on 11 December 1990.
) churches which hold services every day. While the canonical hours
of the daily monastic office are served separately, the monks share their meals together and are united under one abbot
. Along with prayer, the monks engage in publishing a journal, Irénikon, since 1926, making recordings of church music, and producing incense, all of which can be bought in the monastery shop.
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
dedicated to Christian unity located in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
village of Chevetogne in the municipality of Ciney
Ciney
Ciney is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur. On January 1, 2006 Ciney had a total population of 14,958. The total area is 147.56 km² which gives a population density of 101 inhabitants per km²....
, province of Namur, halfway between Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. Currently, the monastery has 27 monks.
History
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
addressed the apostolic letter "Equidem verba" to the Benedictine Order encouraging them to work for the reunion of the Catholic and Eastern Churches, with particular emphasis on the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
. The following year, a community was established by Dom Lambert Beauduin
Dom Lambert Beauduin
Dom Lambert Beauduin was a Belgian monk who founded the monastery now known as Chevetogne Abbey in 1925.He had previously been a monk of the Benedictine Mont César Abbey in Leuven, and been deeply involved with the liturgical movement in Belgium...
(1873–1960) at Amay
Amay
Amay is a Belgian municipality located in the Walloon province of Liège. On January 1, 2006, Amay had a total population of 13,144. The total area is 27.61 km² which gives a population density of approximately 476 inhabitants per km²...
, on the river Meuse
Meuse
Meuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
. Because of Beauduin's close friendship with Cardinal Mercier and Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
, as well as his relations with Eastern Christians, he became a pioneer of the Catholic Ecumenical movement. His initial focus was on unity with Orthodox and Anglicans, but was eventually extended to all those who bear the name of Christ.
Life of the Monastery
In order to live a life of Christian unity, the monastery has both Western (Latin Rite) and Eastern (Byzantine riteByzantine Rite
The Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite is the liturgical rite used currently by all the Eastern Orthodox Churches, by the Greek Catholic Churches , and by the Protestant Ukrainian Lutheran Church...
) churches which hold services every day. While the canonical hours
Canonical hours
Canonical hours are divisions of time which serve as increments between the prescribed prayers of the daily round. A Book of Hours contains such a set of prayers....
of the daily monastic office are served separately, the monks share their meals together and are united under one abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
. Along with prayer, the monks engage in publishing a journal, Irénikon, since 1926, making recordings of church music, and producing incense, all of which can be bought in the monastery shop.