Walktrough

A Benedictine monastery is self-contained. “All necessities” for the life of the community should be contained within it. You are invited to make a virtual tour of our monastery.

Church

The two western towers of the church (height 42 meters) are a familiar symbol of Gerleve. The original plan of the basilica was inspired by the Romanesque churches of the area. The eastern part was never completed.

The interior is extremely unpretentious. Everything is centred on the essential: the altar and the original Romanesque Crucifix with the statues of Mary and John in the apse. To both sides of the altar there are the choir stalls of the monks.

Entrance

Our monastery door is open as follows

During these times, it is possible, for confessions to be heard in the church or in a parlour in the monastery.

Fon: +49 – (0)2541–800–0

Inscription:
»Euntes ibant et flebant« – They go forth weeping.
»Venientes venient cum exsultatione« – They shall come back rejoicing.

The sculptures of Franz Guntermann (1881 – 1963)  show the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt and their return to Nazareth. The verses of Psalm 126, 6 remind us of the expulsion of the monks in 1941 by the Nazi-regime and of their return after World War II in 1946.

Guests area

Men and small groups can be received in the monastery (nine single rooms and one double room). Our guests can participate in the community prayer in the church. Lunch and dinner are taken with the monks in the refectory, breakfast and coffee in a special dining-room. All rooms have a shower and a toilet.

People who are seeking to spend some days in silence, or who are about to take an important decision, or who would like a talk with one of the monks, or who are preparing to take an exam or who like to know more about monastic life are especially welcome.

Infirmary

In our monastery we have seven special infirmary rooms and a chapel for sick monks. One brother is trained as a nurse.

Chapter house

The chapter house was painted by P. Laurentius Görtz OSB (1877 – 1968) from Maria Laach in the years 1924 – 1925. The paintings show 16 scenes from the life of Saint Benedict.

Guest room

Breakfast and coffee for the guests are prepared in a special dining-room. Lunch and dinner are taken together with the monks in the refectory. In the guest-room our guests can find a daily newspaper and a small library.

Kitchen

“For the daily meals, whether at noon or in midafternoon, it is enough, we believe, to provide all tables with two kinds of cooked food because of individual weaknesses. In this way, the person who may not be able to eat one kind of food may partake of the other.”
Rule of Saint Benedict 39, 1 – 2

Refectory

“Reading will always accompagny the meals of the brothers”
Rule of saint Benedict 38, 1

During lunch and dinner, a monk is reading a book.

Recreation room

The community meets for recreation in this room during the winter. Here the most important national and regional newspapers are available to the community. In the evening, we can watch the news on television.

Cowl room

The monastic cowl is a large overcoat. The monks wear it only during the liturgy. The black cloth protects against the cold. This heavy robe is a symbol for concentration in prayer and meditation.

Sacristy

“He will regard all utensils and goods of the monastery as sacred vessels of the altar.”
Rule of Saint Benedict 31, 10

Library

Our library began in 1899 with the new monastery. We have around 200.000 books, from small booklets to large manuscripts, ranging over 1,000 years. Half of them are already computer- catalogued. Retrospective cataloguing will take longer. “Of the making of many books there is no end” (Qoh 12, 12) – we get around 4.000 books per year, so there is always a lot of work for the librarians.

Our library is primarily a monastic library for the monks at Gerleve. But visitors and students who want to do research here are allowed to use it. Arrangements have to be made with the head-librarian. Books will be lent for external use only in exceptional circumstances.

Administration

The director of the monastery’s administration is called bursar (cellarar). The bursar and his team administer the patrimony of the monastery. Individual monks have no property.

Cloister

“We must run and do now what will profit us forever.”
Rule of Saint Benedict, Prolog 44

Inner garden

“Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ.”
(Rule of Saint Benedict 72, 11)